Standing as One, Humanity Strong Enough to Meet ‘Almost Anything’, Secretary-General Says at Executive Talk on UN Day Programme

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres' remarks at the Executive Talk for the eightieth United Nations Day Programme, in Kuala Lumpur today:

Selamat Sejahtera. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Government of Malaysia - in particular, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - for hosting this event in honour of the eightieth anniversary of the United Nations.

Since its independence in 1957, Malaysia has been a steadfast member of the UN family. From four elected terms on the Security Council, to its vital contributions to peacekeeping operations, Malaysia has shown what it means to be a true friend to the world.

The United Nations is proud to be your partner on the journey to sustainable development. Around the country, our staff work shoulder to shoulder with the Malaysian people, on everything from climate action to human rights.

I wish to thank the UN staff here today for what they do and express our shared commitment to this remarkable country. I want to take profit of this occasion to express my deep gratitude and admiration for what has been the consistent foreign policy of Malaysia. Malaysia has always been a staunch [defender] of multilateralism and of the work of the UN.

On the other hand, in this divided world, in which the geopolitical divides are in themselves a threat to peace and security, Malaysia has shown a remarkable independence and has always been in the right side of history, without double standards.

I'm particularly grateful for what has been the constant intervention of Malaysia in the international community, in defence of the rights of the Palestinian people for self-determination and statehood, and also in defence of the rights of the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Malaysia has shown extraordinary solidarity to those that are victims of the injustices of this world, and we are very grateful for that.

Eighty years ago, the United Nations was founded with a single, soaring purpose: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. The Charter was a bold experiment - not simply to end one conflict, but to shape a world where nations, large and small, could come together to solve the problems they shared. It has succeeded in that first great duty - resolving deadly conflicts and preventing the chaos of a third world war.

But, it has also achieved things from 1945 that, at that time, could not be imagined. Every year, the United Nations provides life-saving food and assistance to more than 150 million people. It supplies vaccines for a full 45 per cent of the world's children. And it supports elections in dozens of countries.

It is the backbone of international law - a framework of over 80 conventions and treaties covering everything from landmines to biodiversity; freedom of the press to clean water. When disaster strikes, it is the United Nations that coordinates the global humanitarian response.

Together, we have aided the decolonization of 80 nations, begun the healing of the ozone layer and given the world the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Through eight turbulent decades, the United Nations has reinvented itself, proving that cooperation can triumph - even in humanity's darkest days.

The time has come for our next transformation. Our world has entered an era of profound and rapid change. Democratic space is shrinking. Conflict is spiking. And the global climate is breaking down. We are entering a multipolar world - one that demands institutions equal to its complexities.

That is why, just over a year ago, Member States adopted the Pact for the Future - a road map to bring our global bodies in line with the realities of today. That includes the reform of the United Nations Security Council - the organ with primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.

Its composition no longer reflects the current world order, and its paralysis has been painfully visible - in Gaza, in Sudan, in Ukraine. It is a scandal that Africa has no permanent seat, and Asia only one.

On the other hand, the international financial system also demands reform. This is a matter of justice for nations too long locked out of prosperity. We must slash the debt burden of low- and middle-income nations. We must triple the lending capacity of multilateral development banks.

And we must grant developing countries the role they deserve in the institutions that govern their economic destiny. Those institutions must reflect today's world and not 1945.

Look how different is the share of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in the world economy and their share in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quotas or the World Bank capital. There is a profound injustice in the international financial architecture that needs to be corrected.

We need a networked multipolar world, not a world based on unilateralism to allow for strong and effective multilateral institutions. A world of justice and cooperation where the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can prevail. And I congratulate Malaysia on the remarkable progress it is making in this regard.

At the same time, climate change is getting out of control. We need a drastic reduction of emissions, starting now. The G20 [Group of 20] that is responsible for 80 per cent of emissions must lead the way. The principle of common but differentiated responsibility must apply. But, all its members must do more.

At the same time, developed countries must fully implement their commitments to support both mitigation and adaptation in developing countries, in particular the most vulnerable and least responsible for the climate crisis.

I urge Malaysia and all ASEAN countries to raise their voice at the [thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] COP30 and set the tone for global ambition.

Right now, the ASEAN Summit is hosting dialogues on trade, conflict and refugees. It is a vivid reminder of everything multilateralism can achieve when nations come together in common cause.

Regional organizations build trust, they prevent escalation, they create mechanisms for dialogue and crisis management sensitive to the needs of local cultures and communities, they are vital allies and partners to the United Nations, and also the United Nations is a vital ally and partner to regional organizations, and namely ASEAN.

In times of division and mistrust, it can be tempting to lose faith in cooperation, diplomacy, even in peace itself. But, let us remember: The United Nations was not built for moments of harmony. It was built for moments of strife. It is precisely in such moments that our work matters most, from preventing conflict, to protecting the planet, to standing up for human rights. We know this from history.

At the height of the cold war, when the world was on a knife's edge, the Soviet Union and the United States still chose to collaborate through the United Nations. By sharing crucial vaccine science, they helped the UN achieve one of humanity's greatest victories: the eradication of smallpox.

The Soviet Union and the United States were united in this objective. Success stories like this should give us the courage to aim high - to remember just how much we are capable of.

The tests of the next 80 years will be both familiar and new. The struggle against war and poverty will continue. And we will also face new threats, from climate chaos to runaway technologies to crises we cannot yet imagine.

But, the moral of the United Nations story is simple: That humanity is strong enough to meet almost anything, when we stand as one. Let's keep standing together - in particular, let's deepen the cooperation between the UN and ASEAN, for dignity, equality and peace for all. And I thank you.