UN Secretary General António Guterres calls 'world a dysfunctional place', calls for UNSC reform

Speaking in New Delhi on Friday ahead of the two-day G20 Leaders' Summit that starts tomorrow, he welcomed India’s focus on 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' but said the phrase is an "indictment of our times".

"Because if we are indeed one global family – we today resemble a rather dysfunctional one," he was quoted as saying by Moneycontrol.

"Divisions are growing, tensions are flaring up, and trust is eroding – which together raise the spectre of fragmentation, and ultimately, confrontation. This fracturing would be deeply concerning in the best of times – but in our times, it spells catastrophe," he added.

Guterres’ statement comes amid the war between Russia and Ukraine that has been going on for more than one and a half years.

The conflict has been a major issue between the Indian G20 Presidency and a joint statement, or communique, said the report.

India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, said that the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration is "almost ready" and will be presented before the G20 leaders for their approval, the report said.

With the US pressing for a strong condemnation of Russia and Moscow making it clear that it will oppose any joint statement that does not reflect its views, coming up with a joint statement remained a challenge.

The Russia-Ukraine war has not only been the reason behind India’s inability to issue a communique after any of the G20 ministerial meetings throughout its presidency, but negotiations on other critical matters, like food, energy security and climate change, too, are proving difficult.

On climate change, Guterres said that the crisis is "worsening dramatically" and the "collective response is lacking in ambition, credibility, and urgency".

"I have come to the G20 with a simple but urgent appeal: we cannot go on like this. We must come together and act together for the common good," Guterres said, the report added.