The head of the United Nations warned the gathered leaders of nations Tuesday that impunity, inequality and uncertainty are driving modern civilization toward “a powder keg that risks engulfing the world” — the latest in an increasing number of clarion calls from Antonio Guterres in recent years that the global situation is becoming intolerable and unsustainable.
“We can’t go on like this,” the secretary-general said in an alarming state-of-the-world address as he opened the annual high-level gathering of the U.N.’s 193 member nations.
He said the world is in “an era of epic transformation” facing challenges never seen before, with geopolitical divisions deepening, the planet heating and wars raging in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere with no clue how they will end.
“A growing number of governments and others feel entitled to a `get out of jail free’ card,” he said — a reference to the classic board game Monopoly.
Unfortunately this latest conflict simply shows that money is the biggest factor in an armed conflict. That rich nations can afford the most technologically advanced weapons and overpower almost any other nations and even influence the narrative.
We as humanity are heading towards a very dark and dystopian future, where the divide between rich and poor would be even starker and that’s really worrying. I hope I am wrong though, I hope we find a way to live together without killing and hating each other but I kind of doubt it.
Amen.
Amen.
And the world’s leaders will surely listen to the UN this time.
