Using the term “multi-lateralism” Antonia Guterres, the new Secretary-General of the UN called for more globalization in a speech to UN staff on his first day in office as Secretary General. He called for more global solutions to address very challenging times.
“This is the moment in which we need to assert the value of multi-lateralism,” he opined. “This is the moment in which we need to recognize that only global solutions can address global problems and that the UN is the cornerstone of that multilateral approach… The UN,” he added, “is the pillar of multi-lateralism.”
But then he advocated less bureaucracy. “We need to get rid of the straightjacket of bureaucracy that makes our life so difficult in many of the things we do. “
While less bureaucracy is something that sounds good on the surface. But would removing layers of bureaucracy make the UN more democratic? Probably not. Instead, it would likely be more demagogic.
Guterres assumes the role of UN Secretary-General, replacing Ban Ki-Moon who held the office for 10 years. He comes to the UN during a time of many challenges from the wars in Syria, Yemen and at least 16 UN peace-keeping operations around the world. There are climate change issues, population issue, and rising unemployment issue on his mind as he takes on his new role, plus he will be dealing with a recalcitrant U.S. under the leadership of Donald Trump.
The UN will never solve the world’s problems, but they will unite with Rome in an effort to gain more power over the global issues that confront the world today. The UN, however, is key to establishing a global political order, a global economic order and a global religious order.
“In the issue of the contest all Christendom will be divided into two great classes—those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. Although church and state will unite their power to compel “all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond” (Revelation 13:16), to receive “the mark of the beast,” yet the people of God will not receive it. The prophet of Patmos beholds “them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God” and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Revelation 15:2, 3.” Great Controversy, page 450.