“I count on this group, which has long been a defender of multilateralism, to step forward, use its power and fight to defend a system based on equality,” the high representative stressed while speaking at the opening ceremony of the G77+China Summit in this capital.

The UN leader called on the bloc to boost science, technology and innovation to forge solidarity, solve common problems and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These issues exacerbate inequalities and reinforce divisions today, he warned.

Guterres recalled that, during the Covid-19, the richest countries monopolized vaccines while the pandemic swept through the Global South.

African nations pay three times the global average for data, while developed countries amass unimaginable wealth, he added.

“Only global action can address these inequalities, ensure a just transition to a digital economy and ensure that, in a new technological age, no one is left behind,” he said.

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