NEW YORK, January 17, 2026 (WAFA) — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that 2025 was a year “full of challenges” for international cooperation and the core values of the United Nations.
In a speech marking the UN’s 80th anniversary, Guterres pointed to a range of setbacks witnessed over the past year, including cuts to humanitarian aid, widening inequality gaps, and the accelerating pace of climate chaos. He said international law was violated, repression against civil society intensified, and journalists were killed without accountability.
Guterres also noted that United Nations staff were repeatedly threatened or killed while carrying out their duties. In the digital sphere, he warned that algorithms have rewarded falsehoods, fueled hatred, and provided powerful tools for authoritarians.
He called for a multilateral system that is strong, responsive, and adequately resourced in order to confront interconnected global challenges and uphold the principles on which the United Nations was founded.
M.N
