UN Secretary-General Sets Out Final-Year Priorities Amid Global Crises

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today outlined his priorities for the final year of his mandate, pledging to “make every day of 2026 count” as the world grapples with escalating conflict, inequality and instability.

Speaking before the General Assembly, Mr. Guterres said he remains “fully committed and fully determined” to continue pushing for a better and more peaceful world, despite mounting global challenges. He described today’s international landscape as one marked by conflict, impunity and unpredictability, but stressed that the United Nations has nonetheless succeeded in asserting leadership in critical areas such as artificial intelligence, climate action and financing for development.

A key focus of his final year will be the UN80 Initiative, aimed at strengthening the effectiveness, coherence and impact of the UN system amid shrinking resources and rising global needs. However, the Secretary-General warned that the current financial situation is “totally unsustainable,” calling on all Member States to honor their financial obligations under the UN Charter or, failing that, to overhaul financial rules to avert a budgetary crisis.

Three Core Priorities for 2026

Mr. Guterres outlined three overarching priorities for the year ahead:

1. Upholding the UN Charter — stressing that the Charter is not “à la carte,” but must be respected fully and faithfully by all Member States.

2. Advancing peace with justice — including peace between nations and peace with nature, with continued efforts toward conflict resolution in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan.

3. Building unity in an age of division — emphasizing the need for inclusive, welcoming societies rather than exclusionary approaches that marginalize migrants and vulnerable groups. “Our challenge,” he said, “is to build united societies in a world of united nations.”

Secretary-General’s Travel and Global Engagements

Later today, Mr. Guterres will travel to London to participate in events marking the 80th anniversary of the first meeting of the UN General Assembly. At a conference organized by the United Nations Association–UK, he is expected to describe the General Assembly as both “the parliament of the family of nations” and a mirror of the world’s divisions and aspirations.

While in London, the Secretary-General will meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. He will then travel to Switzerland for his annual retreat with Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys, followed by participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos. There, he is expected to emphasize dialogue, peacebuilding, economic justice, climate action and global governance of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.

Humanitarian Crises Remain Acute

The briefing also highlighted worsening humanitarian conditions in several regions:

• Gaza: Thousands remain affected by winter storms, with tents destroyed and buildings at risk of collapse. Seven children have died from hypothermia since the start of winter. The UN continues to scale up aid deliveries, though critical equipment remains restricted.

• Syria: Nearly 58,000 people remain displaced following recent clashes in Aleppo, while close to 90,000 have returned home. UN partners are providing food, psychosocial support and emergency assistance through newly allocated funding.

• Sudan: As the conflict surpasses 1,000 days, more than 21 million people face acute hunger, with famine confirmed in parts of the country. The World Food Programme continues to assist an average of four million people per month, despite severe access challenges.

In his General Assembly remarks, Mr. Guterres renewed calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and the resumption of inclusive, Sudanese-led peace talks, stressing the urgent need to protect civilians.

Security Council and Financial Updates

The Security Council was briefed today on developments in Cyprus and is scheduled to hold an open discussion on the situation in Iran later this afternoon.

Meanwhile, five additional Member States — Canada, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom — were added to the UN’s 2026 Honour Roll for fully paying their contributions to the Regular Budget, bringing the total number of compliant countries to 14.

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