"We must step up for peace": Antonio Guterres urges G20 nations to take lead on global challenges

He emphasised that peace requires actions grounded in the values of the UN Charter, the rule of law, and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"We must step up for peace in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan. Everywhere, peace requires actions grounded in the values of the UN Charter, the rule of law, and the principles of sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of States," Guterres said.

On finance, the Secretary-General further highlighted the situation of vulnerable countries which "face tremendous headwinds and obstacles that are not of their making."

Guterres further spoke about the 'Pact for the Future' and said that it calls for ambitious reforms to make the system more representative of today's global economy and the needs of developing and vulnerable nations.

"This includes expanding the voice and representation of developing countries in international financial institutions. The global community is looking to the G20 to deliver on these agreements," he said.

On climate, the Secretary-General voiced concern over the state of negotiations at COP29, noting that countries must agree to an ambitious climate finance goal that meets the scale of the challenge faced by developing countries.

Earlier in the day, Brazilian President has said that summit will feature 42 nations engaging in discussions on fight against hunger, poverty, and energy transition.

Sharing a post on X, he said, "What matters is that 42 countries will participate in the G20 Summit in Brazil. In addition to discussing the fight against hunger and poverty, we will talk about the energy transition, a topic in which our country has a great advantage, in addition to global governance. The UN needs reform to ensure that its decisions are respected."

The G20 Leaders' Summit is scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Brazil, with the presence of the leaders of the 19 member countries, along with the African Union and the European Union. (ANI)