Citing High Cost of Crises, Secretary-General Calls for Surge in Diplomacy, Addressing India’s Annual Raisina Dialogue

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Raisina Dialogue conference, in New Delhi today:

Thank you to the Observer Research Foundation and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs for this invitation.  [India] Foreign Secretary [Subrahmanyam] Jaishankar and I spoke last month about multilateralism with multipolarity — the theme of your Dialogue.

Today’s conflicts are more complex and interlinked.  Human rights violations are occurring on a mass scale.  Terrorism affects every region.  The rules-based international order is under threat.

We have a multipolar environment, but we need multilateral solutions.  The United Nations is the cornerstone of multilateralism.

It is no longer enough to address crisis situations.  People and countries pay too high a price if we only deal with conflicts.  That is why I am calling for a surge in diplomacy for peace.

The causes of crises are interlinked.  To respond, the UN has to connect its efforts for peace and security, for sustainable development and for human rights.

We have the plans — the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with resolutions on sustaining peace.  Now we need an integrated approach — and changes in our culture, strategy, structures and operations.  I am committed to achieving a shift from putting out fires to preventing war and sustaining peace.

Partnerships with regional organizations are essential.  The Raisina Dialogue can contribute to preventive diplomacy in Asia.

Asia is one of the most diverse regions in the world.  India itself is very diverse.  The Indian Constitution recognizes 22 official languages and India has people practising all major religions.

Diversity is a strength.  But we see tensions in Asia — often along communal, societal and religious lines.

You speak in the theme of the Dialogue about “navigating Asia’s new normal”.  The way to navigate, in Asia and globally, is based on our common values:  peace, justice, respect, human rights, tolerance and solidarity.  Our challenge is to build trust — in each other and in institutions, including the United Nations.

I am committed to inspiring trust in the UN.  I hope you will join me in working to make 2017 a year of peace.