Finland warns of spreading conflicts, calls for more cooperation

The Finnish president expressed his concern Tuesday about the increasing number of conflicts around the world, urging the international community to be "steadfast defenders" of multilateralism.

In his address at the UN General Assembly in New York, Alexander Stubb said that in today's world, cooperation is undermined "by a lack of trust" and a disregard for rules.

"Conflicts are spreading, bringing suffering, violence, violence and injustice," he noted, citing reports that said there are currently 65 active armed conflicts, more than at any time since the end of the Cold War.

He warned that the world is facing a risk of competition against the rules on which the international order rests.

"Upholding the most basic rules, values, and institutions is our best option to ensure that competition does not escalate into conflict, and that cooperation gains ground," he said.

Stubb underlined that all nations should be "steadfast defenders of multilateralism," and that the world needs multilateralism to address a shared agenda, ranging from conflicts and climate change to sustainable development and artificial intelligence.

"Currently, however, we seem to be going the other way -- more towards a non-cooperative and multipolar world order," he warned.

The president said the world is still witnessing "tyranny," disregard for the vulnerable, and violence against civilians in many parts of the world.

He cited Sudan, which is "devastated by war," and Haiti, which struggles with armed violence and extreme weather events.

"Gaza continues to be one of the world's most acute humanitarian emergencies, marked by mass displacement, the destruction of infrastructure, and the lack of essential services," he added.

"We must not grow indifferent to wars and human suffering, but instead channel our efforts into preventing conflicts, upholding human rights, and strengthening sustainable economies," he added.