Guterres highlights UN impact in annual report — Global Issues

In his Annual report on the work of the organizationreleased before the high level session of the 79th UN General Assembly, Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the Organization’s continued efforts to address these pressing challenges.

Mr Guterres emphasised the resilience of UN staff, who are working to bring hope and relief to people in need despite working under difficult circumstances.

“I am immensely proud of the staff of the United Nations, who carry out their mandate in a divided and sometimes dangerous world,” he said.

“In 2023, together with our partners on the ground, we coordinated humanitarian response plans for 245 million people in 74 countries and provided lifesaving assistance and protection to nearly 160 million people in urgent need.”

The report found that the UN has also mobilised a record $22.7 billion in humanitarian aid from donors around the world, making possible life-saving programmes in Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen and the occupied Palestinian territories, and in regions hit by natural disasters such as earthquakes in the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkey and floods in Libya, Malawi and Mozambique.

However, these operations have come at a significant human cost. In 2023, the highest number of UN personnel and humanitarian workers were killed, with the vast majority of casualties being UN personnel. UN relief and work agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) who worked in the Gaza Strip. The Secretary-General honored their sacrifice and underlined the UN’s commitment to assisting the world’s most vulnerable.

Peace and security are at the heart of the UN’s mission

Diplomacy for peace remained at the heart of the Organization’s work amid escalating global peace and security challenges. In response, the Secretary-General proposed his New Agenda for Peace, which, among other things, calls for multilateral action to address the interconnected threats to our shared future.

The report also highlights that for the first time in 34 years, the Secretary-General appeal made to Article 99 of the UN Charterto bring the hostilities in Gaza and Israel to the attention of the Security Council and called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of hostages. The UN worked to prevent regional escalation and promote peace efforts aimed at ending the occupation and achieving a two-state solution in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions.

The UN also facilitated peace talks, supported state-building efforts, and helped protect civilians worldwide, including in Sudan. In addition, the organization oversaw the withdrawal of some 13,000 personnel from its peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMAwhile security conditions rapidly deteriorated.

The Peacebuilding Fund has allocated more than $200 million to support national peace plans in 36 countries, with a focus on gender equality. Partnerships with regional organizations, such as the African Union, have further strengthened conflict prevention.

A call to action on global goals

In 2023, the SDG Summit brought together more than 6,000 participants, raising the global commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, of which only 15 percent is on schedule The targets must be met before the globally agreed 2030 deadline, while many developing countries face challenges in securing the resources needed to ensure a sustainable future.

Environmental initiatives such as the Water Action Agenda and a landmark agreement on plastic pollution were major achievements in 2023. The UN’s commitment to global climate action was also a major highlight of the past year, with calls for fossil fuel transitions, operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund, and ending deforestation by 2030.

Human rights and multilateralism

Human rights remained a key focus of the UN mission. In 2023, the UN supported initiatives to eliminate violence against women, empower rural women, and ensure their representation in constitutional processes.

The Secretary-General also expressed concern about the erosion of multilateral principles, pointing to the impunity with which some parties to conflicts attack civilians, hospitals, humanitarian aid and schools.

In preparation for the milestone Top of the futurehas published policy briefs on topics such as peace, security and the governance of artificial intelligence. The aim is to strengthen the values ​​of the UN Charter and to address global challenges such as misinformation and disinformation in the public sphere.

Committed staff

“At every step, our organization and our staff will continue to stand in solidarity with the people of the world in these difficult times, as we seek together to create a more peaceful, healthier, more equal and prosperous future, and a world that leaves no one behind,” Mr. Guterres said.

“Their determination is to achieve results for the people of the world and to provide the help and hope that every person deserves – and that the human family needs today more than ever.”