BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2023) The world would do better to stop wasting time on geopolitical rivalry, ideological confrontations and geo-economic fragmentation, and focus instead on addressing common challenges, Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) and former Secretary-General of the United Nations, said on Thursday.
"After so many crises, shocks and surprises, it's time to look ahead and plan for our shared future. It's time for renewed action on challenges of long-term and global nature. We do not have much time left," Ban said during a BFA session in Boao in the southern Chinese province of Hainan.
He emphasized the importance of coordinated actions against climate change and pointed out that, despite all international agreements, the world is still not able to tackle the problem, since its attention is turned to the pandemic, conflict, inflation and recession.
"Global temperatures continue to rise unabatedly; we have gone through the seven hottest years on record. More will surely come if climate action stays behind the pace of climate change instead of overtaking it," he said.
Yet another problem, in his opinion, is poverty as the food and energy crisis that followed the Ukraine conflict delivered another blow to millions of struggling people worldwide.
"Let's not waste our invaluable time, our limited time, on geopolitical rivalry, ideological confrontations and geo-economic fragmentations. Rather let's get reunited to take on our common and long-term challenges," he urged.
The Boao Forum for Asia was initiated in 2001. It is committed to promoting regional economic integration, intensifying dialogue between Asian countries, developing economic ties to other areas of the world and providing a platform for discussions on social, economic and other important topics among government leaders, industrialists, scientists and other professionals.
