In a firm message ahead of the New Year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday made an urgent appeal to world leaders to realign global priorities, stressing the need to put the interests of humanity and the safety of the planet above any political or military considerations, on the occasion of the New Year .
In his video message, which carried a strongly worded warning tone, Guterres said: “As we enter the new year, the world stands at a real crossroads. Chaos and uncertainty surround us on all sides, amid deep divisions, escalating violence, accelerating climate collapse, and systematic violations of international law that threaten the entire global system.”.
Existential challenges in 2026
The Secretary-General noted that 2026 arrives amid ongoing bloody conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine and tensions in other parts of the world, placing a historic responsibility on leaders to work diligently to alleviate human suffering and combat climate change, which now threatens human existence.
Guterres added in a decisive tone: “I call on leaders everywhere to be serious and to choose people and the planet over pain and destruction,” strongly criticizing the global moral and financial imbalance represented by the huge gap between military spending and funding for the poorest countries that are struggling to survive.
Shocking figures: Military spending versus development
In stark terms that reveal the scale of the tragedy, Guterres explained that global military spending has jumped by nearly 10% this year, reaching a record high of $2.7 trillion. To put this into perspective, he pointed out that this amount is equivalent to 13 times the total amount the world spends on development aid and equals the entire GDP of Africa, reflecting a structural imbalance in the priorities of the international community.
These figures come in a worrying historical context, as the Secretary-General has confirmed that wars and armed conflicts have reached levels in terms of number and intensity not seen since the end of the Second World War, bringing back memories of dark periods in human history.
International context and the importance of the message
Guterres's message this year takes on exceptional significance for several reasons, most notably that it comes in his final year as Secretary-General of the United Nations, making it a kind of "political testament" and a last-ditch effort to steer the international community toward a corrective course. This warning also coincides with the failure of numerous recent international conferences to reach binding resolutions to halt climate change or put an end to escalating geopolitical conflicts.
Observers believe that the reference to a “crossroads” reflects genuine concerns within the United Nations about the collapse of the rules-based international order, given the Security Council’s inability to make decisive decisions due to sharp international polarization, which directly threatens international peace and security.
Guterres concluded his message with a call for hope and action, saying: “In this new year, let us put our priorities in the right place. A safer world starts with investing more in fighting poverty and less in waging wars. Peace must prevail; it is the only option to guarantee a future for generations to come.”.
