UN Secretary General António Guterres required During the 18th BRICS (Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability) summit in New Delhi on Sunday, he proposed sweeping reforms of global institutions and argued that the international system must adapt to a world that has changed dramatically since 1945.
In conversation with the leaders of the BRICS member states, Guterres said The world is moving “increasingly towards a multipolar world” and argued that such a change should be welcomed, not rejected. According to Guterres, multipolarity can lead to greater balance and justice, but only if international institutions, including the UN Security Council And Bretton Woods financial system, are being reformed to better reflect today’s global power structures.
BRICSwhich includes major developing countries led by Brazil, Russia, India and China, was created in part to increase the influence of emerging economies within a global system historically dominated by Western powers.
Guterres outlined four Priorities for global growth: finance, artificial intelligence (AI), climate justice and peace.
First, Guterres said developing countries are increasing domestic resource mobilization but continue to need greater international support to achieve this UN Sustainable Development Goals. He called for greater representation of developing countries in international financial institutions, expansion of lending by development banks and improved debt relief mechanisms.
Second, Guterres warned that AI could accelerate economic and technological development but could also exacerbate existing inequalities if its benefits remain concentrated in a small number of companies and countries. He welcomed BRICS’ support for the UN AI Science Board And Global dialogue on AI governance and called for additional support for initiatives aimed at expanding developing countries’ access to computing infrastructure, data and technical expertise.
Third, Guterres warned that the world is moving closer to overshooting the target Temperature threshold 1.5 °C and called for accelerated reductions in fossil fuel consumption and methane emissions. He also called on wealthier countries to meet their existing climate finance commitments and provide greater assistance for adaptation and climate-related loss and damage.
Finally, Guterres addressed the ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. He called on states to comply UN Charterincluding the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Comments by Guterres underlined a broader argument that as global economic and political power becomes increasingly dispersed, international institutions must evolve if they are to maintain their legitimacy and effectively address emerging global challenges.
