Vatican Urges UN: Adapt, Prioritize Diplomacy Over War in Changing World

Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, a top Vatican diplomat, addressed the United Nations General Assembly on September 29, 2023. He urged the UN to adapt to a changing world and maintain its effectiveness in the face of emerging threats. The theme of the 80th UN General Assembly was 'Better Together: Eighty Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights'.

Gallagher highlighted several active wars and conflicts, including those in Ukraine, the Middle East, Syria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and South Sudan. He called on the international community to prioritize diplomacy and redirect resources from war to initiatives promoting justice and dialogue. Gallagher pointed out that global military expenditures reached $2.72 trillion in 2024, diverting resources from the needs of the poor.

He reiterated the Holy See's proposal for a global fund to address poverty, hunger, development, and climate change, sustained by a fraction of nations' military expenditures. Gallagher did not specify which countries the Holy See highlighted during the session for this purpose. He emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing global issues and called for renewed global solidarity to tackle escalating geopolitical tensions, climate crisis, and widening inequalities.

Archbishop Gallagher described the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights as one of its most important achievements. He urged the UN to adapt and maintain its effectiveness in a transformed world, emphasizing the need for diplomacy, cooperation, and resource redirection to address global challenges.