António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, says the world needs peace in 2023 more than ever.

The Secretary-General in his Annual New Message, which was made available to the Ghana News Agency by the UN, said every New Year was a moment of rebirth and that in 2023, people must put peace at the heart of their words and actions.

Mr Guterres said in 2022, millions of people around the world literally swept out ashes; saying from Ukraine to Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond, people left the ruins of their homes and lives in search of something better and that around the world, one hundred million people were on the move, fleeing wars, wildfires, droughts, poverty and hunger.

"In 2023, we need peace, now more than ever. Peace with one another, through dialogue to end conflict. Peace with nature and our climate, to build a more sustainable world," the Secretary-General said.

"Peace in the home, so women and girls can live in dignity and safety. Peace on the streets and in our communities, with the full protection of all human rights. Peace in our places of worship, with respect for each other’s beliefs. And peace online, free from hate speech and abuse."

"Together, let’s make 2023 a year when peace is restored to our lives, our homes, and our world," he stated.