New UN chief urges New Year’s resolution: ‘Put Peace First’
NEW YORK CITY – Antonio Guterres took the reins of the United Nations on New Year’s Day, promising to be a “bridge-builder” but facing an antagonistic incoming U.S. administration led by Donald Trump who thinks the world body’s 193 member states do nothing except talk and have a good time.
The former Portuguese prime minister and U.N. refugee chief told reporters after being sworn-in as secretary-general on Dec. 12 that he will engage all governments — “and, of course, also with the next government of the United States” — and show his willingness to co-operate on “the enormous challenges that we’ll be facing together.”
But Trump, with his “America First” agenda, has shown little interest in multilateralism, which Guterres says is “the cornerstone” of the United Nations.
So as Guterres begins his five-year term facing conflicts from Syria and Yemen to South Sudan and Libya and global crises from terrorism to climate change, U.S. support for the United Nations remains a question mark.