UN Chief calls for interdependence, inclusion to break poverty-conflict cycle

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for interdependence and inclusion to break the cycle of poverty and conflict.

"Addressing the links between fragility and conflict is an essential component of international peace and security.

Fragility and conflict are among the greatest obstacles to the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda," he told the Security Council in an open debate on challenges of maintaining peace and security in fragile contexts.

Conflict continues to breed poverty and foster institutional fragility, which in turn decreases the resilience of these societies and the prospects for peace.

The World Bank estimates that by 2030, two-thirds of the world's extreme poor will live in fragile or conflict-affected countries, he said.

To break the cycle of poverty and conflict, there is a need for a more ambitious approach based on two principles enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals: interdependence and inclusion said the UN Chief.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes that there can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development, he said.

The pledge to "leave no one behind" must be at the centre of collective efforts to promote sustainable development and to prevent and resolve conflicts, said Guterres.

"Guaranteeing equal opportunities, protection, access to resources and services and participation in decision-making are not simply moral and legal obligations.

They are a necessary condition if countries are to truly break out of the conflict trap," he said.