Secretary-General’s joint Press Encounter with the President of the European Council

Secretary-General: I am very happy to be back in Brussels, and especially to be able to work with President Antonio Costa. 

The European Union is a central strategic partner of the United Nations, and we are extremely grateful for the continued support, both financial support and political support, to the activities of the UN.   

And we believe the European Union is a fundamental pillar of the multilateral response to the challenges we face in peace and security, in climate, in sustainable development, in human rights.   

In this context, we have some particular concerns. One is about Ukraine. Obviously, any ceasefire is welcome because it saves lives, but it is essential that a ceasefire paves the way for a just peace in Ukraine. And a just peace in Ukraine is a peace that respects the UN charter, international law, and Security Council resolutions, namely about the territorial integrity of Ukraine.   

On the other hand, I am saddened and shocked because deaths and destruction are back in Gaza, and the Palestinian people have already suffered too much. 

And so I renew my appeal for respect of the ceasefire, for unimpeded humanitarian access to all areas of Gaza, and for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.  

It is absolutely essential to keep the door open for the only way to bring peace to the Middle East, which is to have a Palestinian state side-by-side with an Israeli state.   

On the other hand, yesterday, the World Meteorological Organization published again a report with the devastating impacts of climate change. I am now used to listening time and time again that we are living in the hottest day of the hottest month of the hottest year of the hottest decade. But let's not give up. The report also says that the 1.5 degree limit is still possible in relation to global warming, but we need to double down. Double Down in the reduction of emissions, double down in decarbonization and double down in the replacement of fossil fuels by renewable energy.   

Finally, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the support that the European Union has given to the implementation of the Pact for the Future in all its dimensions, and I can guarantee that we will be working together in the next key moments in which the international community will be moving forward in Seville, in Paris, in the G20 meeting, in the COP in Brazil. 

In all these moments, I am absolutely sure that the EU and the UN will be together fighting for a better international community in a safer planet. 

[END]

Question: Secretary-General, how concerned are you with the US withdrawing from so many UN bodies? A new world order is being written as we speak where multilateralism and the international community don’t play a role anymore.  

Secretary-General: Multilateralism is alive. It's playing a role, and the proof of that is the fact that I am here with the European Union.