New UN chief Guterres aims to put peace first in 2017

Antonio Guterres painted a dark picture of global politics on his first day as the new UN secretary general on Sunday, as he took the reins from Ban Ki-moon with a new year's resolution to put peace first.


"Civilians are pounded with deadly force. Women, children and men are killed and injured, forced from their homes, dispossessed and destitute. Even hospitals and aid convoys are targeted," Guterres said in a statement.

"Let us make 2017 a year for peace," said Guterres, who takes over for a term of five years from current UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who had been at the helm of the world body for the past decade.

The former Portuguese prime minister said "all that we strive for as a human family" depended on peace, but also cautioned that "peace depends on us."
 [dailysabah.com]
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