UN Secretary-General Urges Leaders to Defend Charter, Push Peace, and Govern AI Risks Ahead of High-Level Week

NEW YORK — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urged world leaders gathering for the High-Level Week of the General Assembly to “keep your promises,” defend international law and recommit to the principles of the UN Charter at a time of deepening global uncertainty.

Speaking at his final press conference before the opening of the High-Level Week, Guterres said the world is changing rapidly and that global institutions must adapt without abandoning the values on which they were founded.

“The United Nations is not just a platform; it is a promise,” he said, calling on leaders to protect human rights, invest in sustainable and inclusive development, and push for peace.

Middle East: ‘De-escalation must be priority one’

In the Middle East, Guterres said de-escalation must be “priority one, priority two, and priority three,” warning that all parties must stop actions that harm civilians and allow humanitarian operations to proceed safely and without obstruction.

He said navigational rights in and around the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab must be restored and respected under international law, adding that the only path forward is “de-escalation, diplomacy, and dialogue.”

The Secretary-General also highlighted what he described as the “dramatic suffering” of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. He called for full implementation of the Gaza peace plan, unrestricted humanitarian aid, an end to the creeping annexation of the West Bank, and renewed commitment to a two-state solution.

Ukraine, Sudan, and Global Conflict

Turning to Ukraine, Guterres said the war is now well into its fifth year, with immense civilian suffering, cascading global consequences, and no end in sight.

He called for an immediate ceasefire as a first step toward a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace consistent with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant UN resolutions.

On Sudan, he described the humanitarian situation as “absolutely horrible” and said foreign support and weapons flows were helping to prolong the conflict. He said there should be accountability where outside interference supplies arms used against civilians.

AI Safety Takes Centre Stage

Guterres devoted significant attention to artificial intelligence, saying the technology has enormous potential to advance sustainable development, education, health systems, and climate resilience, but also carries risks that governments cannot ignore.

He said national action was essential, but global coordination was indispensable because AI risks do not stop at borders. He warned that isolated and unverifiable voluntary pauses would not be enough and called for shared international guardrails to make AI safe, transparent, accountable and centred on human dignity.

The Secretary-General said the UN’s Independent International Scientific Panel on AI is intended to bring global scientific expertise into policymaking, and he signalled support for a serious international summit on AI at the right moment, involving governments, private companies, scientists, and civil society.

Security Council Reform and Multilateralism

Asked about impunity and violations of international law, Guterres said geopolitical divisions had paralysed the Security Council and allowed powerful states and others to act without consequences. He called reform of the Security Council an “absolute priority,” saying its composition still reflects the world of decades ago rather than today’s realities.

He also said the rise of emerging economies and shifting global power make reform of multilateral institutions essential, particularly the Security Council and the Bretton Woods system.

Climate, Development, and Inequality

On climate change, Guterres warned that impacts are worsening dramatically and said recent disasters underscore the urgency of stronger action. He argued that economics, technology, and security all support a faster transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, while stressing that the transition must be just and supported by assistance to developing countries.

Responding to a question on development, he said peace, development, and human rights must be treated equally as the UN’s three pillars. He warned that many developing countries are being strangled by debt and hit hardest by food and energy shocks linked to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

After nearly ten years in office, Guterres declined to judge his own achievements but pointed to gender parity within the United Nations as a symbolic milestone. He said the organisation had reached parity at the senior management level and among resident coordinators and was moving toward parity across international staff.

Offering advice to his successor, he said, “Be yourself and be independent, and act according to your conscience.” His broader lesson, he added, was that a multipolar world requires reformed multilateral institutions capable of delivering peace, development, and human rights.

Guterres closed the briefing with a stark warning that the world now faces three existential threats: runaway artificial intelligence, the climate crisis, and deepening inequalities. International cooperation, he said, is more necessary than ever.