Antonio Guterres

UN begins search for next secretary general as Guterres' term nears end

New candidates can emerge at any time, with the next secretary general taking office in January 2027

Chinese envoy sends letter to UN Chief Guterres over Japan's Taiwan remark

China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong delivered the message to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency

UN chief Antonio Guterres urges G20 to use power to ease global suffering

The G20 nations hold enormous potential to ease suffering and set the world on a more peaceful course, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said, urging the bloc to lead the action required. Guterres made the remarks at a media briefing shortly after arriving in Johannesburg on Friday to participate in the G20 Leaders' Summit for the next two days. My message to G20 leaders over the next two days is simple. Now is the time for leadership and vision, Guterres said as he cited conflicts, climate chaos, economic uncertainty, inequality and a collapse in global aid as causes of inflicting massive suffering around the world. He added that rising military spending is drawing resources away from development. "As the world's largest economies, the G20 nations can hold enormous influence to ease suffering, ensure that economic growth is widely shared, and set our world on a better, more peaceful course for the future," he said. Guterres said that during the Summit, he would call on G2

UN chief Guterres condoles Red Fort blast deaths, calls for full probe

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condoled the loss of lives and injuries in the car explosion near Red Fort in New Delhi and stressed on a full investigation into the incident, his spokesperson said. We also, of course, send our condolences to the government and people of India for what has happened there, and that also needs to be fully investigated, the Secretary General's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said at the daily briefing on Tuesday when asked about the explosion in Delhi that killed 12 people and injured many more Haq was asked about the suicide bombing in Islamabad as well as the car explosion in New Delhi. In a more lengthy response to the suicide attack in the Pakistan capital, Haq said, "What I can say is the secretary general is deeply saddened by the reported suicide attack, and he extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a full recovery to those injured. The secretary general condemns acts of violence and terrorism at the stronges

Amid global tensions, Gandhi's message carries renewed urgency: UN chief

Gandhi's message of peace carries renewed urgency amid current rising tensions in the world, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said as he called on the global community to follow the Mahatma's lead to heal divisions and advance diplomacy. The UN Chief's message was conveyed during a special commemorative event organised here Thursday by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations on the occasion of International Day of Non-Violence, observed on October 2, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. In his special message, the UN Chief said that the world today is witnessing a troubling erosion of our shared humanity. On this International Day of Non-violence, we honour the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and his unwavering commitment to peace, truth and dignity for all. Gandhi not only spoke of these ideals, he lived them. And in this time of rising tensions and deepening divisions, his message carries renewed urgency, Guterres said. Violence is displacing dialogue, civilians ar

UN chief calls for stronger peace efforts amid rising global conflicts

Pursuing the cause of peace is 'the beating heart' of the Organisation, 'but today, peace is under siege,' Guterres said

UN chief warns Israel, Russia over alleged sexual violence by armed forces

In his annual report to the UN Security Council, Guterres warned that Israel and Russia could be listed next year for alleged patterns of rape and sexual violence in conflict zones

Use of force 'dangerous escalation': UN Chief after US strikes on Iran

Antonio Guterres said that there is a "growing risk" that this conflict could "rapidly" get out of control with "catastrophic" consequences for civilians, the region, and the world

UNGA set to push for two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The United Nations chief on Thursday urged world leaders and officials attending an upcoming UN conference on ending the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict to keep the two-state solution alive. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters that the international community must not only support a solution where independent states of Palestine and Israel live side-by-side in peace but materialize the conditions to make it happen. France and Saudi Arabia are co-chairing the conference, which the U.N. General Assembly is holding from June 17 to June 20 in New York. French President Emmanuel Macron will attend and other leaders are expected, but Israel will not be there. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, a position that was overwhelmingly adopted by Israel's parliament in a vote last year. We won't be taking part in a conference that doesn't first urgently address the issue of condemning Hamas and returning all of the .

Hope India-Pak deal will help resolve outstanding issues: UN spokesperson

With India and Pakistan having reached an understanding to end hostilities we're in a better place, a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said and hoped the countries would use it to deal with their outstanding issues. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. The ceasefire is holding. I think we have seen we're in a better place than we were before. We hope that the ceasefire will continue to hold, and we hope that the parties will use this to deal with a lot of the outstanding issues between them, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing Tuesday. India carried out precision strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and .

UN chief, Bangladesh's Yunus discuss domestic issues, Rohingya crisis

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has discussed with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus the country's domestic issues and the Rohingya situation and expressed solidarity with Dhaka's reform and transition process. Guterres is in Bangladesh on a Ramadan Solidarity visit from March 13-16. Guterres travelled to Cox's Bazaar on a mission of solidarity with the Rohingya refugees and with the Bangladeshi people who have hosted them. He expressed appreciation for the close cooperation between the UN and Bangladesh, including its contributions to peacekeeping. The Secretary-General and the Chief Adviser discussed the situation of the Rohingya and Bangladesh's domestic issues. The Secretary-General expressed his solidarity with Bangladesh's reform and transition process, a readout of the meeting between Guterres and Yunus provided by the office of the Secretary-General's spokesperson said on Friday. The Secretary-General is back in Dhaka after having spent the day in Cox's Bazaa

UN chief announces 'UN80 Initiative' to boost efficiencies amid uncertainty

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has announced a new initiative aimed at improving efficiencies at the 80-year-old world organisation and making it more cost-effective, as he voiced concern over shrinking resources and liquidity crisis amid an environment of "uncertainty and unpredictability". The UN80 Initiative' will come up with proposals in areas of rapidly identifying efficiencies and improvements in the way the UN works; thoroughly reviewing implementation of all mandates given to the UN by member states, which have significantly increased in recent years and a strategic review of deeper, more structural changes and programme realignment in the UN system. Our world is facing challenges on every front. Since the United Nations reflects that world in all its aspects, we feel it in all our work. These are times of intense uncertainty and unpredictability, Guterres said here on Wednesday in his remarks to announce the initiative. Guterres has appointed a dedicated internal ta

'All will lose', warns UN chief Antonio Guterres amidst growing trade war

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned that "all will lose" when countries get into trade wars, against the backdrop of tariff wars unleashed by the Trump administration. "I think we live in a global economy. Everything is interlinked. And obviously, one of the great advantages of having a situation of free trade is to create the conditions for all countries to benefit. When we enter into a trade war, I believe all will lose," Guterres said here on Wednesday. He was responding to a question on the growing global trade war. US President Donald Trump, in his second term in the White House, has said America will impose reciprocal tariffs on nations that charge high levies on US goods. The Trump administration's global tariffs on steel and aluminum have come into effect, prompting the European Union (EU) and Canada to also announce levies on US products. The administration has also announced tariff on imports from Canada, Mexico and China. In a retaliatory action, these ...

UN chief condemns Pakistan train hijacking, calls for release of hostages

UN Secretary-General Antonio has strongly condemned the hijacking of a train in Pakistan's Balochistan province and voiced concern about persons taken hostage, calling for their immediate release. The UN Chief stressed that attacks against civilians are unacceptable. The Secretary-General strongly condemns the hijacking of a train in Pakistan's Balochistan province, a statement issued by his spokesman Stphane Dujarric said. Guterres is deeply concerned about the persons taken hostage and calls for their immediate release, the statement added. Suspected Baloch gunmen opened fire at a passenger train in Pakistan's restive Balochistan on Tuesday. Jaffar Express, with around 500 passengers on board in nine coaches, was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired upon between Gudalaar and Piru Koneri, according to officials. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed it seized control of the train by derailing it. The group said it had killed six secu

Human rights suffocated by autocrats, warmongers, says UN chief Guterres

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says human rights are being suffocated around the world, lashing out at voices of division and anger who see them as a barrier to their quest for power and profit. In a speech to the Human Rights Council, Guterres decried Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine that marked its third anniversary Monday, appealed for a permanent cease-fire between Palestinian militants and Israel, and urged respect for Congo's territorial integrity, among other things. While reiterating many of his concerns about conflict and climate change, the U.N. chief said he would propose new ideas to the Security Council aimed to bring greater stability and security for the people of Haiti, where a multinational security support mission has been deployed. Guterres depicted a world where human rights were on the ropes and being pummeled hard" by warmongers, a morally bankrupt global financial system" that favors profits over planet protections, those who might exploit artificial

World Economic Forum: Leaders call for action on AI, regional reforms

Leaders from various countries called for action on artificial intelligence and reforms as they brainstormed here during the five-day World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, which ends on Friday. In a special address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a reform of social media governance across the European Union to curb misinformation and cyber harassment. He urged for stronger enforcement of the Digital Services Act and expanded powers for the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency. He emphasised that "the values of the European Union are not for sale" and called for increased funding for research into social media algorithms to ensure Europe's brightest minds address this critical challenge. United Nations Secretary-General Antnio Guterres issued a stark warning about two escalating global threats: the unchecked expansion of artificial intelligence and the climate crisis. These challenges, he warned, pose unprecedented risks to humanity and demand immediate, unifi

UN chief welcomes Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, says its critical 1st step

UN chief Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, describing the deal as a "critical first step and urging parties to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader region. In a significant breakthrough in the 15-month brutal conflict between Israel and Hamas, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire agreement which promises the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, UN Secretary-General Guterres said on Wednesday. Guterres commended the mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough. Guterres called on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this

Global leaders welcome Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, express need for peace

Following the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, global leaders have expressed optimism while emphasising the need for further efforts toward peace.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the mediation efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, while former US President Barack Obama called the agreement a positive step. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the deal, stressing the need for a long-term political solution based on a two-state framework to secure lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.In a statement, Guterres said, "I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. I commend the mediators -- Egypt, Qatar and the USA -- for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. I call on all to uphold their commitments & ensure that this deal is fully implemented. From the outset of the violence, I have called for an immediate ceasefire & the ...

UN chief Guterres expresses condolences on ex-PM Manmohan Singh's demise

UN chief Antonio Guterres is saddened by the death of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who played a "pivotal role" in shaping the nation's "economic trajectory". The Secretary-General expressed his "deep" condolences to Singh's family, the government, and the people of India. Expressing condolences following Singh's death, Guterres notes the former prime minister's contributions to India and the UN. "The Secretary-General was saddened to learn of the passing of Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India. Singh played a pivotal role in India's recent history, particularly in shaping its economic trajectory," a statement issued by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said. "As Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, Singh oversaw a period of significant economic growth and development in India. Under his leadership, India also strengthened its collaboration with the United Nations, contributing actively to global initiatives and partnerships," the statement ...

UN Secretary General honours Indian peacekeeper Brigadier General Jha

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has paid tributes to Brigadier General Amitabh Jha of India, who was serving with the UNDOF at Golan Heights, and said he will be remembered for his leadership and unwavering commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. Brigadier Jha was serving as Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) from April 2023 and had recently served as acting Force Commander of UNDOF in complex circumstances, following the fall of the Assad Government in Syria. He will be remembered for his leadership and unwavering commitment to United Nations peacekeeping, including in the United Nations Organization Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) as a Military Observer from 2005 to 2006, a statement by the spokesman for Guterres said late on Tuesday. The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to Brigadier General Jha's family and to the Government of India for their loss, the statement ...