New York, 8 July 2022 (TDI): The European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN), EU-UN high-level dialogue is taking place in New York.
The EU President, Ursula von der Leyen, and the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres opened the meeting at Greentree Estate, New York.
They both expressed the need for the two organizations to work together considering the effects of the war in Ukraine. EU-UN dialogue is a two-day meeting that began on Thursday, 7 July.
At the dialogue, the two partners, therefore, will discuss the main challenges of multilateral order and important areas for action. They will also discuss the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The world is at a major inflection point.
Coupled with the effects of the pandemic around the world, Russia’s war is extending human suffering far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
The EU and UN are working together to tackle the consequences. https://t.co/urUfHd69vq
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 7, 2022
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed the need for networked multilateralism and that the EU-UN collaboration is the basis of this networked multilateralism.
Following this, Von der Leyen also said that the Russian-Ukrainian war was destroying the international order and global economy. She later added that the EU and UN both work hard to fight a rules-based system.
She explained that this is evident because the EU’s 27 members are the most prominent financiers of the UN. The EU funds to the UN add up to 14 billion Euros per year.
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Opening of the High-Level Dialogue
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres opened the high dialogue in New York. In his speech, he expressed his concern for the dramatic climate emergency.
He said, “It’s essential to reduce emissions, and we are increasing them. I am very appreciative of the European policy to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and to dramatically decrease emissions until 2030 dramatically.”
While Von der Leyen said, “the world is at a major inflection point and the global system with the UN at the center is a stake.
Guterres said, “ the dramatic impact of the Russian invasion in Ukraine that has led, independently of the suffering of the Ukrainian people, to a terrible crisis also in food, energy, and finance.”
In encounter with President of the @EU_Commission @vonderleyen at EU-UN High-Level Dialogue, Secretary-General @antonioguterres warns that world is in big trouble, stressing need for networked multilateralism. https://t.co/24Ea6XW79B pic.twitter.com/ury7ePVLvo
— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) July 7, 2022
He also added, “ So, it is for me an enormous pleasure to receive Ursula Von Der Leyen and the EU Commission for this joint retreat, EU-UN, in which we will make our cooperation even deeper, even stronger, and even more effective for the people we care for”.
