UN Security Council Backs Antonio Guterres After Israel Declares Him Persona Non Grata

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 3: The United Nations Security Council on Thursday expressed its full support for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after Israel's foreign minister Katz said he was barring him from entering the country. Katz had declared Guterres persona non grata.

The 15-member council said in a statement that "any decision not to engage with the U.N. Secretary-General or the United Nations is counterproductive, especially in the context of escalating tensions in the Middle East."

The statement urged countries to refrain from actions that undermine Guterres’ work.

The statement did not name Israel. Such statements by the council are agreed by consensus.

Katz announced the ban on Wednesday, stating that Guterres had failed to unequivocally condemn Iran’s missile strikes during a brief statement referencing the broader conflict in the region. Under this designation, Guterres is barred from entering Gaza and the West Bank.

This latest dispute is part of a series of tensions between Israel and the UN. Israeli officials have alleged that many UN workers have ties to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, claims that the UN has requested evidence for. Additionally, Israel has halted visa issuance for UN officials seeking to visit Gaza.

While countries like France and the UK quickly defended Guterres, this marked the first time the United States — Israel’s main ally — has publicly supported the UN chief in this context.

Guterres has been vocal about the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and has condemned both Hamas’ attacks on Israel and the collective punishment of Palestinians. He has called for protecting civilians and ensuring humanitarian aid flows freely into affected areas in Gaza.

UN Chief Antonio Guterres condemns ‘escalation after escalation’ in the Middle East

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his extreme concern with the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon and has appealed for an immediate ceasefire, according to Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Briefing news persons here, the spokesperson informed that Antonio Guterres said "an all-out war must be avoided in Lebanon at all costs and the territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected....more

Antony Blinken Reiterates Permanent UN SC Seat For India, Japan, Germany, Africa

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS: Reiterating support for the reformation of the United Nations Security Council to better represent the world, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States has long endorsed permanent seats in the council for India, Japan and Germany. Speaking at the 'Summit of the Future' at the 79th United Nations General Assembly, Blinken put forward the US' idea of two permanent seats for Africa, one rotating seat for Small Island Developing States, and permanent representation for Latin America and the Caribbean....more

'Global Action Must Match Global Ambition': Modi At UN Summit

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that terrorism continues to be a serious threat to global peace and security and in the same breath, he added "cyber, maritime and space are emerging as new areas of conflict". Speaking at the United Nations Summit of the Future on Monday here, Modi said alongside terrorism, new areas of conflict are emerging and it is high time that "global action must match global ambition"....more

Taiwan Seeks Role In Fullfilling U.N. Sustainable Development Goals: Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang

TAIPEI: Ahead of the opening of the United Nations' 79th General Assembly beginning September 10, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang has once again sought Taiwan's role in contributing towards U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Speaking to news persons in Taipei City to detail Taiwan’s annual U.N. campaign, Minister Tien Chung-kwang said the theme of the UN General Assembly general debate, set to kick off from September 24, is “Leaving No One Behind: Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations.” Ironically, he said Taiwan’s 23.5 million people are still excluded from the global organization....more

10 nations support Taiwan's inclusion in UN

NEW YORK: Taiwan has welcomed the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell’s reiteration of his country’s long-standing support of stability in the Taiwan Strait together with backing from ten allies for Taiwan’s inclusion in the United Nations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During a September 18 congressional hearing, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell voiced his disapproval of China’s distortion and misuse of U.N. Resolution 2758 to suppress Taiwan and deny its legitimacy, according to a statement by the MOFA....more

AI Has Potential to Rescue SDGs: UN Chief

By Deepak Arora

SHANGHAI: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to help rescue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and usher in a more durable and equitable future. Recent research estimates that AI can help accelerate nearly 80 per cent of the SDGs. Yet, he said “we face a stark reality: AI opportunities are not evenly shared. AI capacities today are concentrated in a handful of powerful companies – and even fewer countries. However, too many countries face significant challenges in accessing AI tools.”...more