Peace is at the heart of all we do. Yet as we meet today, the snares of conflict have trapped millions of members of the human family in miserable, prolonged cycles of violence, hunger and displacement. The suffering cannot go on.
In Gaza — I welcome the start of Phase Two of the ceasefire, announced by the US — and reiterate that humanitarian aid must flow unimpeded, the ceasefire must be implemented in full, and the way must be cleared to an irreversible path to a two-state solution in accordance with international law.
In Ukraine — where we must spare no effort to stop the fighting and achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions.
In Sudan — where the parties must agree on an immediate cessation of hostilities and the resumption of talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and a comprehensive, inclusive and Sudanese-owned political process. Civilians must be protected.
From Yemen to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from Haiti to the Sahel to Myanmar and around the world, we must never give up in the pursuit for peace.
Throughout, we must recognize that silencing the guns is not enough. Peace is more than the absence of war. The root causes of conflict must be addressed. If not, any solution will be precarious.
It’s no coincidence that nine of the ten countries with the lowest Human Development Indicators are currently in a state of conflict. Sustainable peace requires sustainable development. Yet 10 years after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, two-thirds of the targets are lagging. The world is falling short by over $4 trillion a year in the resources developing countries need to deliver on these promises by 2030. And developing countries are being battered and bruised by limited fiscal space, crushing debt burdens and skyrocketing prices.
We must advance on last year’s Sevilla Commitment, which set out an ambitious agenda to scale up finance, address the debt crisis, and reform the international financial architecture so developing countries can invest in the systems that support development and peace. And peace with justice means peace grounded in international law and on human rights — economic, social, cultural, civil and political — which are inalienable, indivisible and interdependent.
We must safeguard freedom of speech and civic space. On that note, I am deeply concerned by the violent repression in Iran.
We must open the doors of opportunity for women and girls around the world. And I want to stress that we cannot — and will not — give in to the disturbing pushback on the rights of women — half of humanity — and the hard-won gains in equality, participation and protection. I am proud that we achieved for the first time in UN history gender parity at senior levels. We are stronger for it, and we will keep going.
We will also build on progress to expand meaningful engagement with young people — full inclusion for persons with disabilities — and real opportunities for indigenous peoples. All of this is essential to build a more equitable, peaceful, just and sustainable future.
Peace with justice also means peace with nature. A world in climate chaos cannot be a world at peace. Climate change is a threat multiplier — inflaming tensions over land, water and food;
Forcing people from their homes;
And tearing at the ecosystems we all depend on.
It is also a profound injustice that those least responsible are paying first and worst. Leaders have failed to keep temperatures below 1.5 degrees. A temporary overshoot is now inevitable — but it is not irreversible. Our mission is to keep that overshoot as small, as short, and as safe as possible — and bend the curve back towards 1.5 without delay.
That means:
Delivering beyond national climate plans to cut emissions now — and to keep cutting.
Accelerating a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels to renewables.
Doubling energy efficiency by 2030; building grids and storage to connect clean power to all; cutting methane; and halting deforestation.
Making good on promises for adaptation and for loss and damage.
And ensuring affordable, predictable finance that reaches those who need it, when they need it.
Climate justice is an investment in peace and security, because vulnerability anywhere becomes a risk everywhere — rippling through financial systems, supply chains and global stability.
Third, and finally, our priority must be to build unity in an age of division.
Around the world, we see the risk of societies breaking down under the weight of racism, nationalist xenophobia, and religious bigotry. These poisons are corroding the fabric of communities, fueling division and distrust. The dangers are not abstract; they are visible in the daily lives of millions, supercharged by rhetoric and disinformation that seeks to exclude rather than embrace. And it is not enough to denounce these impulses ideologically or to simply say “this is wrong.”
Many people feel left behind. They see wealth all around them, and yet they struggle to get by. They feel that rapid globalization — together with technological progress — have undermined their prospects. They look at large movements of people and are told — falsely — that identity is a zero-sum game.
Demographic trends heighten the urgency. The demographic dividend cannot materialize if young people don’t see the dividends in their own lives. At the same time, aging societies cannot afford to turn inward, to build walls — literally or figuratively. Doing so is a recipe for stagnation, and worse. Every country has the sovereign right within the law to manage its borders and ensure its security.
But migrants and refugees also have rights — rights that must be respected and protected, wherever they are. Our challenge — and our priority — must be to build welcoming societies, not walled-off citadels. Societies that invest in the software of social cohesion, inclusion, education and skills, decent jobs and social protection with a new social contract. Societies that build communities where everyone’s identity is respected, and all feel they belong and are bound by shared civic values.
Harmony is never accidental. It requires deliberate policy, resources and political courage. If we fail to put our common humanity first, we risk losing everything that makes us strong. The choice is clear: inclusion or isolation, renewal or decline. We must build united societies in a world of united nations.
I have spoken plainly because the times demand it. We cannot afford complacency, denial or delay. We cannot be bystanders to injustice, indifference, or impunity. And we have the power to chart a different course. The Charter gives us our compass. Our pursuit for peace with justice gives us our purpose. And our common humanity gives us the imperative to act.
The world is changing — often in ways that are unsettling, but also in ways that are inspiring. The forces of division and inequality are powerful — but so too is our capacity for solidarity and justice. Even in the rough seas of today, we can anchor our action in peace, dignity and hope. That takes the best efforts of everyone.
Let’s never forget who we are and what we represent. The United Nations is a living promise — a promise that despite our differences, we will solve problems together. Let’s keep that promise. Let’s never give up. The stakes could not be higher, and the time could not be shorter.
(Excerpts of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ remarks to the General Assembly on Priorities for 2026 in New York on 15 January 2026.)