Cooperation is Humanity’s Greatest Innovtion: UN Chief Declares at BRICS Summit

By R Anil Kumar

• UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the environment is being attacked on all fronts and called on the International community to urgently tackle the intersection of health and climate issues.

Bangalore. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:  Speaking at the 17^th BRICS SUMMIT in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasized the human impact of environmental devastation and climate change. As environmental disasters increase, the Sustainable Development Goals are also being left behind.

“Across the world lives and livelihood are being ripped apart, and sustainable development gains left in tatters as disasters accelarate,” Mr. Guterres said.

“The impact on human health is atrocious…the vulnerable and poorer pay the highest price”, he said.

Artificial Intelligence Must Benefit All

Addressing a session on strengthening Multilateralism, economic-financial affairs and artificial intelligence, Mr. Guterres called for efforts to “minimize the risks and maximize the potential” of the breakthrough technology.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping economies and societies. The fundamental test is how wisely we will guide this transformation, how we minimize the risks and maximize the potential for good,” he said.

To maximize the potential, the Secretary General noted  that AI cannot be” a club of the few, but must benefit all,” calling for the “real voice” of developing countries to be included in global AI governance.

The Secretary-General said that the human rights and equity must be the guiding principles which shape any International governance structure for AI.

“We cannot govern AI effectively and fairly, without confronting deeper, structural imbalances in our global systems,” he said.

Collaboration is Key

The UN Secretary-General stressed the need for peace amid conflicts happening elsewhere.

He called for the urgent  reforms of global institutions, noting that the bodies like the SECURITY COUNCIL and International Financial systems were ” designed for a bygone age, a bygone World, with a bygone system of power retaliation.”

“The reform of the SECURITY COUNCIL  is crucial,” Guterres said Highlighting also calls from the recent financing for development Conference in Sevilla.”

Priorities includes greater voice for developing countries in global governance, effective debt restructuring and tripling multilateral bank lending- especially in concessional and local currency terms.

Call for Reform

Mr Guterres concluded his remarks Highlighting the Power of Cooperation and trust.

“At a time when Multilateralism is being undermined, let us remind the World that “Cooperation  is humanity’s innovation,” he said.

“Let us rise to this moment -and reform and modernize  multilateralism, including the UN and all the systems and institutions to make it work for everyone, everywhere.”