António Guterres warns of global division and AI risks in final UN General Assembly address

A farewell warning on global division

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addressed world leaders on 22 September 2026 for his final appearance at the opening of the 81st General Assembly session in New York. Speaking to representatives from 193 member states, the 77-year-old Portuguese diplomat declared that geopolitical divisions have widened into chasms over the past decade. He told delegates that international law has been repeatedly ignored, human rights trampled, and citizen anger weaponized across multiple international crises. He stated that global power is moving out of control and presented the assembly with a direct choice between the rule of law and the rule of force.

Events in recent years have left no room for doubt. Military power alone is not enough to consolidate peace. Economic power alone is not enough to ensure stability. And technological power alone is not enough to guarantee security.

The four tests of global power

Guterres framed the international outlook around four central tests of power: war and peace, wealth inequality, climate chaos, and artificial intelligence. He criticized fossil fuel companies, stating that oil corporations have treated the atmosphere as a waste dump for decades while profiting from the consequences. Turning to technology, Guterres called for a multilateral framework to govern artificial intelligence before automated systems escape human control. He urged leading AI powers, specifically the United States and China, to manage risks responsibly as the 15-member Security Council prepares to host tech executives for briefings.

Artificial intelligence must be shaped by humanity, with humanity and for all of humanity.

Regional conflicts and humanitarian crises

The address surveyed unresolved wars where military force has displaced diplomacy. In Ukraine, entering its fifth year since Russia's full-scale invasion, Guterres noted that attacks continue against civilians and basic infrastructure, alongside strikes reaching inside Russian territory far from the front line. Across the Middle East, instability persists along Red Sea shipping lanes and the Strait of Hormuz. Guterres condemned the October 7 attacks by Hamas while criticizing the destruction in Gaza and warning that Israeli settlements in the West Bank raise the specter of ethnic cleansing. He reiterated his backing for a two-state solution and urged compliance with International Court of Justice orders. He also pointed to humanitarian crises in Sudan and Myanmar, where armed conflict continues to displace diplomatic negotiation.

The fighting must end. Humanitarian aid must flow.

Succession and institutional reform

Guterres finishes his second five-year term on 31 December 2026, after which he plans to reside in Portugal. He originally assumed leadership in 2017 after succeeding Ban Ki-moon through a selection process involving public hearings. Candidates contending to succeed him include Rebeca Grynspan, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and Olara Otunnu. The speech coincided with diplomatic activity outside the UN framework, including a sidelines agreement signed by the United States, Denmark, and Greenland, and an upcoming Washington summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, who skipped the assembly. Guterres concluded by urging an update to multilateral institutions to reflect modern realities rather than structures built 80 years ago.