At COP31, Guterres says the last decade was extremely difficult

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term is nearing its end, told Anadolu in an interview at the climate conference in Antalya that his visit to Rafah was the most unforgettable moment of his tenure and wished his successor more favorable conditions.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term is nearing its end, reviewed his work in an interview with Anadolu on the sidelines of the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye. He said the last ten years had been extremely difficult and expressed hope that his successor would work in more favorable conditions.

Guterres said it would be inappropriate to offer advice to the future secretary-general and wished him great success for the benefit of the United Nations and humanity. He described his visit to Rafah, where he saw firsthand how trucks carrying humanitarian aid were prevented from entering Gaza, as the most unforgettable moment of his tenure.

Участники климатической конференции COP31 в Анталье

“The international community failed”

Guterres said the international community had failed in Gaza, where the ceasefire is not being observed and children continue to die. He also called the construction of new settlements and settler violence in the West Bank unacceptable, saying they indicated an intention to annex the territories.

Climate: on course for 2.5 degrees

The secretary-general warned that even if all national climate plans were fully implemented, the world would face warming of more than 2.5 degrees by the end of the century, which would be catastrophic. He said emissions needed to be reduced by approximately 6% a year to prevent this. Guterres praised Türkiye for organizing the conference, saying he was extremely impressed by its quality.

Photo: Anadolu