Opening the general debate of the eightieth session of the General Assembly, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recalled that the creation of the Organization was a conscious decision for cooperation over chaos, law over lawlessness, peace over conflict.  Warning that the world has “entered in an age of reckless disruption and relentless human suffering”, he challenged world leaders to choose a future:  “A world of raw power — or a world of laws.  A world that is a scramble for self-interest — or a world where nations come together.”

Outlining “five critical choices”, he urged Member States to choose peace rooted in international law.  “Impunity is the mother of chaos — and it has spawned some of the most atrocious conflicts of our times,” he warned.  In Sudan, civilians are being slaughtered, starved and silenced, he said, underscoring the importance of ending the external support that is fuelling the bloodshed.  Commending recent diplomatic efforts by the United States and other countries to end the war in Ukraine, he called for a full ceasefire and a just, lasting peace.  “In Gaza, the horrors are approaching a third monstrous year,” he observed, citing “a scale of death and destruction beyond any other conflict” in his years as Secretary-General.  He reiterated his condemnation of the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the taking of hostages, while underscoring that “nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people and the systematic destruction of Gaza”.  He called for the full and immediate implementation of the International Court of Justice measures, a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and humanitarian access.  “And we must not relent in the only viable answer to sustainable Middle East peace:  a two-State solution,” he stated.

Stressing that “human rights are not an ornament of peace — they are its bedrock”, he said they require everyday battle and political will.  The fuel to achieve them through the shared road map of the Sustainable Development Goals needs financing to fuel it, but aid cuts are wreaking havoc.  “To choose dignity, we must choose financial justice and solidarity,” he said, calling for reform of the international financial architecture.  On climate change, Mr. Guterres warned that “the window is closing” to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of this century.  “We need stepped-up action and ambition — especially through strengthened national climate plans,” he said, stressing that the Group of 20 (G20) — the biggest emitters — must lead.  He called for scaled-up climate finance, including a credible road map to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually for developing countries by 2035, doubling adaptation finance to $40 billion this year, and full capitalization of the Loss and Damage Fund.  Addressing the impact of technology, he said:  “Technology must be our servant — not our master.”  Welcoming the Assembly’s decision to establish an Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and an annual Global Dialogue on AI Governance, he cautioned against unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI):  “No company should be above the law.  No machine should decide who lives or dies.”

To meet all these goals, Mr. Guterres said, the international community must choose to strengthen the United Nations for the twenty-first century.  Describing as “indefensible” the fact that for every dollar invested to build peace, the world spends 750 dollars on weapons of war, he emphasized:  “In this moment of crisis, the United Nations has never been more essential.”  “Together, let us choose to invest in a United Nations that adapts, innovates and is empowered to deliver for people everywhere,” he said.  Concluding, the Secretary-General urged Member States to act decisively: “In a world of many choices, there is one choice we must never make: the choice to give up.  We must never give up.  For peace.  For dignity.  For justice.  For humanity.”