Loading your language..
On the eve of stepping down, facing a world fraught with crises, the UN Secretary-General discusses the path ahead.

On the eve of stepping down, facing a world fraught with crises, the UN Secretary-General discusses the path ahead.

C1🇨🇳 中文🇺🇸 English

September 18th, 2026

On the eve of stepping down, facing a world fraught with crises, the UN Secretary-General discusses the path ahead.

C1
Please note: This article has been simplified for language learning purposes. Some context and nuance from the original text may have been modified or removed.

🇺🇸 English

The world is mired in deep divisions, and the United Nations' most powerful body is paralysed when it comes to ending conflicts.

世界正深陷严重分裂联合国最具权势的机构在终结冲突上陷入瘫痪

Yet a way forward still exists.

然而前行之路依然存在

So says the UN's most senior official.

联合国最高官员如是表示

After nearly a decade in office, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who will step down at the end of this year and is known for delivering bleak, pessimistic speeches about the state of the planet, said on Thursday that he believed there was still hope and possibility in the years ahead.

在任职近十年后将于今年年底卸任的联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯——以就地球状况发表悲观黯淡的演讲而闻名——周四表示他认为未来几年仍有希望和可能

But he said this would only be possible if the world's governments could finally cooperate to curb conflicts, reverse inequality, and confront the looming behemoth of artificial intelligence.

但他表示前提是世界各国政府最终能够合作遏制冲突扭转不平等并应对即将到来的人工智能巨兽

"I firmly believe in certain things that must be accomplished, and in those things that are bound to happen in order to make the world a better placeand I am determined to strive to bring them about," Guterres said in an interview four days before world leaders gathered for the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

“我坚信某些必须完成之事,以及那些为使世界更加美好而必然要发生之事——我决心为促成这些事而奋斗,”古特雷斯在各国领导人齐聚联合国大会年度会议前四天接受采访时表示。

His message to the leaders and ministers of the 193 UN member states gathered at the United Nations headquarters was blunt: you need to analyse very seriously the fact that the world is facing at least three existential problemsrunaway artificial intelligence, rapidly advancing climate change, and growing inequality, the last of which is becoming a serious driver of instability and conflict.

他向齐聚联合国总部的联合国193个成员国的领导人和部长们传达的信息直截了当:你们需要非常认真地分析一个事实,即世界正面临至少三个生存性问题——失控的人工智能、飞速发展的气候变化,以及不断加剧的不平等,后者正成为不稳定和冲突的严重驱动因素。

Guterres also warned that "vast geopolitical divides" and the paralysis of the Security Council have created an environment of impunity, enabling powerful nations to trample on international law and the UN Charter at will.

古特雷斯还警告说,“巨大的地缘政治分歧安理会的瘫痪造成了一种有罪不罚的环境使强国能够肆意践踏国际法《联合国宪章》

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the US attack on Iranboth countries being veto-wielding Security Council membersserve as examples.

俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以及美国对伊朗的袭击——两国都是拥有否决权的安理会成员——就是例子

"Many countries say, 'If superpowers can break the law, why can't we?'" the Secretary-General said.

许多国家说,‘如果超级大国可以违法为什么我们不能?’”秘书长说

"So what we are seeing around the world is that in a growing number of situations, states simply do not care.

所以我们在世界各地看到的是在越来越多的局势中国家根本不在乎

They do whatever they please, because they know they will face absolutely no punishment."

他们为所欲为因为他们知道将完全不受惩罚。”

He stated that these violations and the climate of impunity have caused death and immense destruction, and that the war between Russia and Ukraine, overlapping with the broader conflicts in the Middle East, is having a "huge impact" on the global economy.

他表示这些违法行为有罪不罚现象造成了死亡巨大破坏俄乌冲突更广泛的中东冲突相互叠加正对世界经济产生“巨大影响”

Food and energy prices are rising, interest rates are climbing, and developing countries are facing enormous difficulties in responding to the needs of their own people.

食品和能源价格上涨利率上升发展中国家在回应本国人民需求方面面临巨大困难

He expressed the hope that these problems would prompt people to realize that such obstacles can by no means be removed by any single party acting alone, and that they can be tackled only through international cooperation.

他表示希望这些问题能促使人们意识到这些障碍绝非单凭一己之力所能消除,唯有依靠国际合作方可应对

He said this is particularly true when it comes to reforming the institutions established by the victorious powers of World War IIthe United Nations, especially the Security Council, as well as the major global financial institutions, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

他说对于二战战胜国所建立的机构——联合国尤其是安理会以及主要全球金融机构国际货币基金组织世界银行——的改革而言情况尤其如此

He said these institutions must undergo comprehensive reform to reflect the realities of the 21st-century worldnamely, the existence of emerging economies and emerging major powers, whose importance must be reflected in global institutions.

他说必须对这些机构进行全面改革以反映21世纪世界的现实新兴经济体新兴大国的存在它们的重要性必须体现在全球机构中

As Secretary-General of the United Nations, he has neither an army nor an intelligence agency, and even less money.

作为联合国秘书长,他既没有军队也没有情报机构更没有多少钱

But Guterres says he has two powersspeaking out on global issues and convening the nations of the world.

古特雷斯有两项权力——就全球问题发声以及召集世界各国

Guterres said that, because of geopolitical divisions, the United Nations "has no leverage" when it comes to advancing peace in Ukraine and the Middle East.

古特雷斯说由于地缘政治分歧联合国在推动乌克兰和中东和平方面“没有筹码”。

But he said he has remained steadfast in defending the UN Charter and the territorial integrity of nations, and in condemning "horrific human rights abuses."

但他说他在捍卫《联合国宪章》和各国领土完整谴责可怕的人权侵犯方面一直立场坚定。

He condemned the "intolerable" attack launched by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, while also condemning "the horrific situation caused by Israel in Gaza, whose scale of death and destruction is unprecedented in the history of the United Nations."

他谴责哈马斯于2023年10月7日在以色列南部发动的“不可容忍”袭击,同时也谴责“以色列在加沙造成的可怕局势,其死亡和破坏程度在联合国历史上没有先例”。

He stressed that the United Nations is not an institution that "conducts politics through transactional means."

他强调联合国并非一个以交易方式处理政治”的机构

It must serve as "a reference point for values and principles for the entire world, because someone must affirm that the law of force cannot prevail over the force of law."

必须成为全世界的价值观和原则参照因为必须有人申明武力之法不能凌驾于法律之力之上”。

"Admittedly, this has at times limited our ability to reach agreements through negotiation, because one party is a clear violator and does not like hearing the truth.

诚然这有时限制了我们通过谈判达成协议的能力,因为其中一方是明显的违反者不喜欢听真话

But this will never, ever lead us away from the values on which a civilized society must be based," said the UN Secretary-General.

但这永远不会、永远不会让我们背离文明社会所必须基于的价值观,”联合国秘书长

This year's global gathering will also inevitably focus on the future of the United Nations, as well as the threat of artificial intelligence slipping beyond human control.

今年的全球聚会也必将聚焦联合国的未来,以及人工智能脱离人类控制的威胁。

Guterres called for international cooperation and guardrails in the field of artificial intelligence, describing AI as "a universal problem".

古特雷斯呼吁在人工智能领域开展国际合作并设置护栏他称人工智能一个普遍性问题”。

He stated that, in order to address this escalating issue, countries developing AI with "higher capabilities" should exchange information, establish transparent mechanisms, set up certain guardrails, and "help create what would ideally be a multilateral mechanism to ensure that risks can be avoided".

他表示为应对这一不断升级的问题以“更高能力”开发人工智能的国家应交换信息建立透明机制设置一些护栏并“帮助创建理想情况下将是一个多边机制以保证能够避免风险”。

As for the United Nations, it is grappling with a severe financial crisis, largely because the United States has failed to pay billions of dollars owed to the UN's regular budget as well as to the separate budgets for its peacekeeping operations around the world.

至于联合国它正面临严重的财政问题主要原因是美国未能向联合国的常规预算以及联合国遍布各地维和行动的单独预算支付数十亿美元

Yet the UN has averted financial collapse and is now in the throes of major reforms, which the Trump administration has been actively pushing for.

但联合国避免了财政崩溃并且正处于重大改革的阵痛之中而特朗普政府一直推动这种改革

Guterres said that even with reduced resources, the United Nations can still sustain its activities, "I think we have demonstrated that, among any organization in any country in the world, our control over public spending is the best."

古特雷斯说,即便资源减少,联合国仍能维持其活动,“我认为我们证明了,在世界上任何国家的任何组织中,我们对公共支出的控制是最好的。”

During Guterres's ten years at the helm of the United Nations, he spent nearly six of them dealing with US President Donald Trump.

古特雷斯执掌联合国十年间有近六年时间在与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普打交道。

He stressed the importance of the relationship between the United States and the United Nations, describing it as sometimes difficult and sometimes easier.

他强调美联合国关系的重要性并称这种关系有时困难有时较容易

He said that the United Nations is currently cooperating with the United States in peace negotiations in Western Sahara and other parts of the world.

他说目前联合国正在西撒哈拉和世界其他地区和平谈判与美国合作。

Guterres said that he planned to raise the issues of peace in Ukraine and the Middle East when he meets Trump on Tuesday, the opening day of the global gathering, and added, "I hope these two objectives can unite the efforts not only of the United States and the United Nations, but of the entire international community."

古特雷斯称,他计划于周二全球聚会开幕当天与特朗普会晤时提出乌克兰和中东和平问题,“我希望这两个目标能够将不仅是美国和联合国,而且是整个国际社会的努力团结起来。”

Edith M. Lederer has been covering international affairs for The Reporter for more than fifty years.

伊迪丝·M·莱德勒为《记者报》报道国际事务,至今已超过五十年。

September 18th, 2026

Trending Articles

King and AI: King Charles to Meet AI Leaders as Safety Concerns Linger

King and AI: King Charles to Meet AI Leaders as Safety Concerns Linger

国王与人工智能:英王查尔斯将会见人工智能领袖,安全忧虑挥之不去

C1Sep 18
Democratic candidates rush to respond to AI threats, Trump remains indifferent.

Democratic candidates rush to respond to AI threats, Trump remains indifferent.

民主党候选人竞相回应AI威胁,特朗普不以为意

C1Sep 18
The House passes a bill to address the energy cost impact of data centers.

The House passes a bill to address the energy cost impact of data centers.

众议院通过法案,应对数据中心能源成本影响

C1Sep 18
OpenAI warns of concerning new AI behavior and pledges enhanced tracking.

OpenAI warns of concerning new AI behavior and pledges enhanced tracking.

OpenAI警示令人担忧的新型AI行为,并承诺加强追踪

C1Sep 17
Huawei unveils new chip technology as Chinese companies accelerate in the AI race with Nvidia

Huawei unveils new chip technology as Chinese companies accelerate in the AI race with Nvidia

华为发布新芯片技术,中国公司在与英伟达的AI竞赛中加速前进

C1Sep 17
The tech world is divided over calls for a coordinated slowdown in AI development.

The tech world is divided over calls for a coordinated slowdown in AI development.

科技界在呼吁协调放缓AI发展上存在分歧

C1Sep 17
Global AI safety strategy hinges on US-China cooperation, yet the two countries regard each other as the problem.

Global AI safety strategy hinges on US-China cooperation, yet the two countries regard each other as the problem.

全球人工智能安全战略取决于美中合作,但两国互视对方为问题所在

C1Sep 17
Trump downplays the need for AI regulation, saying he is unwilling to hand over the advantage to China

Trump downplays the need for AI regulation, saying he is unwilling to hand over the advantage to China

特朗普淡化人工智能监管的必要性,称不愿将优势拱手让给中国

C1Sep 14
Oprah Winfrey expects you to have an "epiphany" moment at the Sphere.

Oprah Winfrey expects you to have an "epiphany" moment at the Sphere.

奥普拉·温弗瑞期待你在Sphere迎来“顿悟”时刻

C1Sep 14