New York, Sept. 10 (SANA) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for urgent international action to end conflicts and build lasting peace, as he separately warned that escalating tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz pose serious risks to civilians, regional stability and the global economy.
Speaking at the annual Peace Bell ceremony at UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said violence, division and conflict were causing widespread suffering around the world and urged governments to renew their commitment to diplomacy, dialogue and negotiation.
Peace “does not happen by itself,” Guterres said, according to the UN News Center, warning that the dialogue and solidarity needed to reach sustainable solutions were increasingly absent from the international arena.
He called for greater investment in sustainable development, particularly health, education, nutrition and social protection, alongside efforts to build institutions that command public trust and protect human rights and human dignity.
Guterres also urged renewed commitment to what he described as the tools of peace, including diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping, and praised volunteers, civil society groups, peacekeepers and other peacemakers for working to bridge divisions and help communities recover from conflict.
His appeal came as the United Nations voiced growing concern over developments around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important shipping route for global energy supplies.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply concerned by reports of escalating tensions in and around the strait in recent days and stressed that navigational rights and freedoms must be fully restored and respected in accordance with international law.
The secretary-general called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid actions or rhetoric that could further inflame an already tense situation.
Any further escalation could have serious consequences for civilians, regional stability, international peace and security, and the global economy, Guterres warned, urging the parties to make full use of diplomatic channels and resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiations.
He said the UN Secretariat was ready to support credible efforts to de-escalate tensions and work toward a comprehensive and lasting settlement.
The United States said Tuesday it had destroyed five Iranian oil tankers after its naval forces came under ballistic missile attacks from Iran. Tehran, meanwhile, said Wednesday that it had targeted 10 vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Peace Bell rung at UN headquarters was made from coins donated by representatives of 60 countries who attended the 13th General Conference of United Nations Associations in Paris in 1951. It is traditionally rung each year by the UN secretary-general and the incoming president of the General Assembly.
This year’s ceremony is the last at which Guterres is expected to ring the bell as UN secretary-general before his term ends later this year.
T.S /ABD
