Nepal, July 9 -- From Covid-19 to climate disruption, from racial injustice to rising inequalities, we are a world in turmoil. At the same time, we are an international community with an enduring vision-embodied in the United Nations Charter, which marks its 75th anniversary this year. That vision of a better future-based on the values of equality, mutual respect and international cooperation-has helped us to avoid a Third World War that would have had catastrophic consequences for life on our planet.

Our shared challenge is to channel that collective spirit and rise to this moment of trial and test. The pandemic has laid bare severe and systemic inequalities both within and between countries and communities. More broadly, it has undersc...