The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, warned world leaders today that the world is facing not only an emergency situation due to Covid-19 and the worst economic crisis in the last almost a hundred years, but also "existential threats" to the climate and biodiversity, and the possibility that the biggest economies, the United States of America and China, divide the world into two parts.
Addressing participants at the World Economic Forum in Davos online, the UN chief said humanity did not want a repeat of the "tragedy and crisis" of 2020.
He pointed to the many difficulties of the current world, such as the lack of consensus in the use of cyberspace and the growing risks of nuclear and chemical proliferation.
"In 2021, we have to deal with these difficulties and get the world back on track," he said.
Speaking about Covid-19, he warned that rich countries are mistaken in thinking that they will be safe if they vaccinate their citizens and neglect developing countries.
Guterres said that vaccines must be a "global public good" and available to everyone at affordable prices.
He called for everyone to address the inequalities that the pandemic has only increased.
He also called for liquidity to avoid debt defaults in many middle and less developed countries, debt relief for countries that need it, new special rights in favor of developing countries, measures to reduce wage differences and equal participation of developing countries in the world institutions.
The UN chief said that the recovery from Covid-19 must help "end our war against nature, prevent a climate catastrophe and restore the planet".
The main goal in 2021 is the formation of a world coalition for carbon neutrality, he said.
Guterres pointed out that "every country, city, financial institution and company" should adopt plans and take decisive measures in order to achieve zero emission of harmful gases by 2050.
When it comes to geopolitics, Guterres stated that he still "fears the possibility of the world being split in two, with the two largest economies leading two areas with different dominant currencies, trade and financial rules, each with its own internet and geopolitical and military strategies".
"We must do everything possible to prevent such division," the head of the United Nations stressed.
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