Secretary-General, General Assembly

Secretary-General outlines priorities for 2025

Following the presentation of his annual reportSecretary-General António Guterres lays out his priorities for 2025 during a briefing to the UN General Assembly on 15 January at 10 am (EST). Watch the event on UN Web TV.

Secretary-General António Guterres (at podium) addresses the general debate of the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly (2024).
Photo:UN Photo/Manuel Elías
UN Secretary-General António Guterres (left) addresses the media at UN Headquarters after a ceasefire is announced in Gaza.

Guterres hails Gaza ceasefire deal as ‘critical first step’

15 January 2025 — The UN Secretary-General has welcomed Wednesday’s announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza following 15 months of war. 

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Guterres highlights ‘hope through action’ for 2025, amid continuing turmoil

15 January 2025 — The world continues to grapple with unprecedented challenges but there are reasons for cautious optimism in 2025 - on a long-awaited Gaza ceasefire, climate action, tackling...

UN rights chief in historic meeting in Syria’s with caretaker authority in Damascus

15 January 2025 — The UN human rights chief Volker Türk has described the unbearable suffering of former detainees under the deposed Assad regime and insisted that he stands with the people of the...

UN Sustainable Development Goals

17 Goals to transform our world

The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries — poor, rich and middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

hands holding megaphone and speech bubble

ActNow is the UN campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the lead up to the Summit of the Future, join the 1 Million Actions for our Common Future challenge to contribute to a more sustainable and peaceful world. Find new inspiring actions on the app and at un.org/actnow.

Thomas the Tank engine

Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals! On our student resources page you will find plenty of materials for young people and adults alike. Share with your family and friends to help achieve a better world for all.

children holding up books

Reading and learning are essential to children’s growth and development; stories can fuel their imagination and raise awareness of new possibilities. The SDG Book Club aims to encourage them to learn about the Goals in a fun, engaging way, empowering them to make a difference.

SDG7 - affordable and clean energy
 
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

More from the
United Nations

Featured stories from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

A group of indigenous women in the central Amazon region of Brazil weaving while sitting on the ground. UNESCO, Economic Development

Weavers in the heart of the Amazon: resilience and tradition

The women from the Novo Airão Artisans Association have gained business skills through the Amazon Biosphere Reserves Project, a collaboration with UNESCO, LVMH, and the Fundação Vitória Amazônica. This support has enabled them to earn a living from their handicrafts and achieve economic independence. By attracting visitors and selling their creations, they not only secure a steady income but also preserve their cultural heritage. Using natural materials like arumã fibres and bacaba stems, they create beautiful pieces that honor their traditions and promote responsible resource use.

A makeshift open-air courtroom in a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. OHCHR, International Law and Justice

DRC: Mobile courts fight impunity and bring dignity to victims

A crowd gathered around a makeshift open-air courtroom in a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to watch defendants, including feared soldiers, face justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity. This scene has become common in eastern DRC, where mobile court hearings have helped hold perpetrators accountable for human rights violations, particularly sexual violence against women and girls. Supported by the UN Joint Human Rights Office in Congo, mobile courts bring judges, prosecutors, and defense lawyers to remote areas, demonstrating that crimes committed in rural settings can still be prosecuted. 

A group of Armenian women showing the beans they reaped. FAO, Economic Development

The importance of “bean” women

In Berd, a town in Armenia's Tavush region, a group of women is showcasing the power of sisterhood through the cultivation of beans, a staple symbolizing resilience in rural life. Beans represent nourishment and are part of a shared heritage of patience and hard work. Anahit Paytyan, Alina Paytyan, and Varduhi Melikbekyan each contribute their strengths to the "Berd Bean" Women’s Association. This group was formed under the “Local Empowerment of Actors for Development” (LEAD) programme, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and funded by the European Union.

Displaced Persons and Refugees, UNHCR

Help refugees survive the winter

As cold winter weather arrives, the UN Refugee Agency, is working to protect the forcibly displaced with shelter, clothes, fuel and food. At this time of the year, your donations can make all the difference.

Agriculture and Food, IFAD

Monorails connect mountains to markets

Xie Fanghua noticed the difficulties farmers faced in getting their fruit to market in his mountain community in China and devised a solution with custom designed monorail tracks. With a loan from IFAD, he made the technology available to others.

Food Aid, WFP

WFP's food basket

The term "food basket" is often used to describe a form of assistance the World Food Programme provides to people caught up in crisis. Here's what it means

Disaster Relief, UNOPS

A tsunami survivor’s journey

Rifqi Irvansyah was nine when the tsunami struck in Aceh, Indonesia. Seeing his school rebuilt by UNOPS sparked a lifelong interest in disaster preparedness.

What we do

Due to the powers vested in its Charter and its unique international character, the United Nations can take action on the issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, including:

Structure of the
United Nations

The main parts of the UN structure are the General Assembly, the
Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established in 1945 when the UN was founded.

The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN. All 193 Member States of the UN are represented in the General Assembly, making it the only UN body with universal representation.

The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members). Each Member has one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.

The Economic and Social Council is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals.

The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN Charter, under Chapter XIII, to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed under the administration of seven Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands). It is the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York (United States of America).

The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the Organization's other principal organs.

Learn more

Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now is the defining moment to do something about it. There is still time to tackle climate change, but it will require an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society.

Women at UN CSW63 Side Event - “Take the Hot Seat”. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is greeted on his visit to the Central African Republic

While global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000, one in ten people in developing regions still lives on less than US$1.90 a day — the internationally agreed poverty line, and millions of others live on slightly more than this daily amount.

A young girl holds a smiling infant at the Zaatari Refugee Camp

Following up on a pledge made by UN Member States at the UN’s 75th anniversary, the report Our Common Agenda looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation. It calls for inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges.

Watch and Listen

Video and audio from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Before, during and after humanitarian emergencies, UNICEF is on the ground, bringing lifesaving help and hope to children and families. Non-political and impartial, we are never neutral when it comes to defending children’s rights and safeguarding their lives and futures. And we never give up.

Pathways to prosperity for adolescent girls in Africa

With over 145 million adolescent girls calling Africa home, the potential for transformative change is immense. Yet challenges persist: from high rates of child marriage to limited educational opportunities. How can African countries overcome these challenges to ensure that adolescent girls enter adulthood empowered to thrive?

Women and girls need urgent support after the recent earthquake in Vanuatu

80,000 people, including 1,230 pregnant women, need humanitarian assistance after the devastating earthquake in Vanuatu. “It pains me to see this vibrant country battered by yet another natural disaster,” says Dr. Natalia Kanem, who recently visited the Pacific island. See how UNFPA is taking action.

UN Podcasts

cover image of the branded pocast with the name "Resilience: the global adaptation podcast"

How the Media Covers Climate Adaptation

In this episode from UNEP's "Resilience: The Global Adaptation Podcast", we dive into questions related to how the media covers climate adaptation.

What makes a climate story go viral? Why are stories so important for making sense of the climate crisis? How can the media convey the urgency without breeding despair?

Lis and Marcus sit down with The New York Times’ adaptation reporter Christopher Flavelle to explore these questions. Plus, the filmmaker and explorer Malaika Vaz shares what it’s like to capture victims of the climate crisis and tell their story to a global audience.

Latest Audio from UN News

The United Nations in Pictures

Images from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

A Somali woman writing poetry in a notebook.
Photo:UNDP Somalia/Said Fadhaye

Good news you may have missed in 2024

In a year marked by crises, 2024 also brought moments of triumph and reasons for hope. From groundbreaking business innovations to examples of remarkable resilience during crisis, here are some stories that remind us that positivity and creativity still thrive even in the most turbulent times.

: A family walking to a local church for cash distribution in Trinidad and Tobago.
Photo:IOM/ Gema Cortes

Faraway, Not Forgotten: Reaching Remote Communities in Trinidad and Tobago

Families anxiously await much-needed aid distributions in the heat of Trinidad and Tobago. Maria, a 31-year-old mother of four, came to the island seeking a better future after leaving her Indigenous Warao community in Venezuela in 2019 due to food and medicine scarcity. Once an administrative assistant, Maria now hopes to find work as a housekeeper, aiming for a wage that surpasses her previous income. Living in a makeshift hut with seven other Venezuelan families, Maria feels the burden of her situation. “At least a day’s work allows us to eat and send money back home,” she explains. Over 36,000 Venezuelans have migrated to Trinidad and Tobago, often facing exploitation and discrimination.