UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for renewed efforts on peace, justice, and sustainable development amid rising global tensions and “reckless actions” triggering dangerous consequences.
Mr Guterres, while outlining his priorities for 2026, the final year of his tenure, said, “2026 is already shaping up to be a year of constant surprises and chaos.”
The UN chief, who trained as a physicist before entering public life, told journalists in New York that during times of profound flux, he returns to fixed principles that explain how forces act.
Among them is Newton’s third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
“As we begin this year, we are determined to choose actions that generate concrete and positive reactions, reactions of peace, of justice, of responsibility, and of progress in our troubled times,” he said.
“Today, impunity is driving conflicts, fuelling escalation, widening mistrust, and allowing powerful spoilers to enter from every direction.
“Meanwhile, the slashing of humanitarian aid is generating its own chain reactions of despair, displacement, and death,” he stated.
Mr Guterres highlighted climate change, the most literal and devastating illustration of Newton’s principle, as actions that heat the planet trigger storms, wildfires, hurricanes, drought, and rising seas.
He said the world is also witnessing “perhaps the greatest transfer of power of our times from governments to private tech companies.
“When technologies that shape behaviour, elections, markets, and even conflicts operate without guardrails, the reaction is not innovation; it is instability.”
He said that these challenges are occurring because the systems for global problem-solving continue to reflect the economic and power structures of 80 years ago, and that this must change.
“Our structures and institutions must reflect the complexity—and the opportunity—of these new times and realities.
“Global problems will not be solved by one power calling the shots. Nor will they be solved by two powers carving the world into rival spheres of influence,” he said.
He stressed the importance of accelerating multipolarity, “one that is networked, inclusive by design, and capable of creating balance through partnerships,” adding that it alone does not guarantee stability or peace.
“For multipolarity to generate equilibrium, prosperity and peace, we need strong multilateral institutions where legitimacy is rooted in shared responsibility and shared values,” he said.
Additionally, in the pursuit of reform, “structures may be out of date, but values are not, he said.
“In this regard, the people who wrote the UN Charter understood that the values enshrined in our founding documents were not lofty abstractions or idealistic hopes but the sine qua non of lasting peace and enduring justice,” he added.
He said that despite all the hurdles, the United Nations is working to give life to shared values and will not give up.
“We are pushing for peace—just and sustainable peace rooted in international law. Peace that addresses root causes. Peace that endures beyond the signing of an agreement,” he added.
Stating that there is no lasting peace without development, Mr Guterres highlighted the need to accelerate progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to reform the global financial architecture.
“That includes ending the crushing cycle of debt, tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and ensuring developing countries have just participation and real influence in global financial institutions,” he said.
On climate action, he stressed the need for deep emission cuts in this decade, along with a just and equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
“We are demanding far greater support for countries already confronting climate catastrophe, expanded early warning systems, and opportunities for nations rich in critical minerals to climb global value chains,” he said.
He said the UN is also working urgently to develop a framework for technology governance, including through global dialogue, capacity support for developing countries, and the new International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The UN chief said the names of 40 proposed panel members will be submitted to the General Assembly soon.
Mr Guterres has also called for the creation of a Global Fund on AI Capacity Development for developing countries, with a target of $3 billion.
(NAN)