United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has used his final address to the General Assembly to warn that major powers cannot solve the world’s growing crises through military, economic or technological strength alone.
Opening the 81st session of the General Assembly in New York, Guterres said conflicts, inequality, climate change and rapid advances in artificial intelligence were converging while international cooperation was under increasing pressure.
“Their power has limits,” Guterres said of the world’s superpowers, arguing that military power alone cannot secure peace, economic power cannot guarantee stability and technological power cannot by itself ensure security.
Guterres called for stronger multilateral cooperation and a United Nations that better reflects current global power realities. He also warned against a division of the world into rival political, economic, technological and security blocs.
Artificial intelligence was a major part of the address. Guterres called for stronger international rules for AI and warned about autonomous systems and lethal weapons becoming increasingly important to military operations.
He also urged reform of the UN Security Council, saying the absence of permanent African representation was unjustifiable. The UN said Guterres highlighted the need for institutions to adapt as power is redistributed between and within states.
On the Middle East, Guterres called for an end to fighting and for humanitarian aid to reach civilians. He also warned about violence, displacement and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and said the two-state solution must not disappear.
On Ukraine, Guterres condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion while also warning that attacks affecting homes, energy and water systems and transport in parts of Russia could threaten wider food and energy supply chains.
Climate change was another central issue. Guterres criticised major oil companies over their profits and called for greater international efforts to support countries dealing with climate impacts.
The UN chief also announced that the organisation had achieved gender parity across senior leadership, headquarters and professional staff for the first time in its history.
His address came during a UN General Assembly week also featuring major speeches from world leaders, including US President Donald Trump. Australia By Aussie has separately reported on Trump’s UN address and his comments on Iran, AI and US foreign policy: Trump calls for Iran isolation in UN speech.
Guterres is due to leave the post of UN secretary-general at the end of 2026, making the address his final opening speech to the General Assembly in that role.
