By: ATN News
New York: Journalist and UN correspondent Ahmed Fathi, the Managing Editor of ATN-American Television News, offered his observations on some of the most urgent problems confronting our planet today in a recent episode of *Sustainable Futures* with host Daniela Bas. Having spent years in worldwide reporting, Fathi explored subjects ranging from the pressing need for climate action to the moral conundrums presented by artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare.
Fathi started by remembering a once-in-a-lifetime event from his 2019 trip to the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site of Kazakhstan. "The Geiger counter wouldn't stop buzzing," he said, sketching the eerie reminder of the radioactive legacy of the region. For Fathi, this meeting underlined the long-lasting consequences of past decisions on underprivileged populations—a subject he believes relates to current problems including climate change.
Turning now to the present, Fathi spoke on the main issues of the United Nations General Assembly for this year, stressing the group effort of rich and underdeveloped countries to solve climate resilience. He did, however, warn that conflicting interests and insufficient financing for underdeveloped countries often slow down advancement in this area.
One especially provocative aspect of the interview focused on the possible hazards of artificial intelligence for world security. Fathi called for immediate rules to stop such results, outlining a "doomsday scenario" whereby machines could make life-and-death decisions autonomously. He cautioned, "We run the danger of becoming enslaved by the machines we have produced when we abandon our humanity to them."
Fathi also spoke on the current argument about UN Security Council reform. Although new ideas call for adding more nations from areas like Africa to permanent membership, Fathi questioned the viability of this action without significant modification of veto powers. He maintained that "cosmetic reforms" won't fix the current impasse without changing the veto system.
In the last part, Fathi talked on the need of real inclusion in corporate governance and underlined the issue of "tokenism" in many companies He exhorted businesses to create actual opportunities for diversity at all levels, surpassing mere gestures.
Combining personal experience with in-depth study, Ahmed Fathi presents a convincing picture of the difficult issues of our age in this interesting episode. For those interested in world affairs, technology, and the direction of international governance, his chat with Daniela Bas is absolutely must-listening.
To have a closer look at Fathi's provocative ideas, tune in and subscribe to the entire *Sustainable Futures* interview.
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