On Friday, António Guterres Sworn In For A Second Term As UN Secretary-General.
Guterres, whose first five-year term began on Jan. 1, 2017 and ends on Dec. 31, 2021, was the sole candidate from the UN’s 193 member states to vie for the top job.
He was nominated by his homeland, Portugal, and appointed by acclamation of the General Assembly, following prior endorsement by the UN Security Council for a second term that runs from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2026.
While taking the oath of office the oath of office in the General Assembly Hall, he said;
“We are truly at a crossroads, with consequential choices before us; paradigms are shifting, old orthodoxies are being flipped.
“We are writing our own history with the choices we make right now.
“It can go either way: breakdown and perpetual crisis or breakthrough and prospect of a greener, safer and better future for all. There are reasons to be hopeful,”
“At the same time, countries are confronting challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss,’’
He added;
“Our greatest challenge – which is at the same time our greatest opportunity – is to use this crisis to turn the tide, pivot towards a world that learns lessons.
“Also to promote a just, green and sustainable recovery and shows the way via increased and effective international cooperation to address global issues,”
“Although the world has changed a lot, the UN’s promises remain constant, but countries have to work together in entirely new ways to keep them alive.’’
“Ultimately, this transformation has to do with solidarity and equality.
“But equity needs to start now: vaccines need to be available for everyone everywhere and we must create the conditions for sustainable and inclusive recovery both in the developed and developing world.
“And there is still a long way to go,”
He warned that countries must overcome their current “trust deficit” if this is to be achieved.
“In particular, we need to do everything we can to overcome current geostrategic divides and dysfunctional power relations; there are too many asymmetries and paradoxes and they need to be addressed head-on.
“We also need to be aware of how power plays out in today’s world when it comes to the distribution of resources and technology,”
