UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Latest on the United Nations General Assembly (all times local):
9:05
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is telling leaders from around the world that it “is suffering from a bad case of ‘Trust Deficit Disorder.’”
The U.N. chief is painting a bleak picture in his speech as the General Assembly’s top-level gathering opens Tuesday. He points to rising polarization and populism within nations, ebbing cooperation among them and “fragile” trust in international institutions.
And Guterres says “democratic principles are under siege.”
Presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and high-ranking ministers from 133 countries have signed up to attend the weeklong session. Among them are many defenders of the international order, but also such populist leaders as U.S. President Donald Trump, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte.
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8:45 a.m.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to paint a grim picture of the state of the world as leaders open their annual meeting Tuesday, spotlighting the breakdown of trust around the globe and the need to counter unilateralism and reinvigorate international cooperation which is the foundation of the United Nations.
U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq gave a preview the U.N. chief’s address saying he will “also sound the alarm on climate change” and stress that all people must benefit from new technologies “while safeguarding against the dangers from malicious acts in cyberspace to the weaponization of artificial intelligence.”
He said Guterres will also appeal to world leaders “for greater solidarity in advancing peace, human rights and sustainable development,” he said.
This year, 133 world leaders have signed up to attend the General Assembly session, up from 114 leaders last year.
