New york: The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which will last for a year, opened today under the presidency of Bangladeshi Khalil Rahman, amid emphasis on the need to restore confidence in the multilateral system and strengthen the United Nations' ability to confront escalating international challenges. According to Union of OIC News Agencies, during the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that rebuilding trust in the multilateral system represents the greatest challenge of our time, welcoming the theme adopted by the President of the new session, Khalil Rahman: "Restoring Trust and Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Works for Everyone." Guterres added that a global system based on problem-solving is becoming increasingly important in these turbulent times, in which the world is witnessing conflicts, divisions, and a growing risk of nuclear escalation, along with persistent poverty and inequality and the worsening repercussions of the climate crisi s. He pointed out that modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, hold great promise, but also entail serious risks in the absence of good governance and transparency regarding their environmental impacts. Guterres warned that displacement rates are approaching record levels, while humanitarian suffering worsens amid a significant reduction in aid and development funding. He said that the institutions of the multilateral system, from the UN Security Council to the international financial architecture, are under immense pressure to meet the demands of the current era, noting that international law and human rights, which are at the heart of the work of the United Nations, are being repeatedly violated without sufficient accountability. He added that the state of mistrust and geopolitical uncertainty continues to hinder access to the necessary effective solutions and undermines people's belief in the possibility of achieving global cooperation. Guterres, who is attending the opening session of the General Assembly for the last time as UN Secretary-General, expressed hope due to the work being carried out at the United Nations.
