Breaking down barriers and restoring fairness in global development should be the goal of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, Secretary-General António Guterres said at its opening in Awaza, Turkmenistan. Urging global leaders to rethink development for landlocked nations, the UN chief declared: “We gather today to reaffirm a fundamental truth: geography should never define destiny.” According to the UN Development Programme, of the 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) worldwide, 16 are in Africa, 10 in Asia, four in Europe, and two in Latin America. 

Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is “at a breaking point” and headed toward a one-State reality marked by perpetual occupation and inequality, unless the international community takes urgent, irreversible steps to implement the two-State solution. Addressing the high-level conference on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-State solution, Mr. Guterres delivered a stark message about the urgency of action and the cost of delay. “For decades, Middle East diplomacy has been far more process than peace,” he said.

The world is facing a “moral crisis” marked by rising authoritarianism, deepening inequality and a dangerous indifference to human suffering, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warns in a powerful address on human rights. Recalling his own experience living under dictatorship in Portugal, Mr. Guterres told participants at the Global Assembly of the international rights charity Amnesty International on Friday that the fight for human rights is “more important than ever”. He called on States to uphold international law and defend human rights “consistently and universally, even or especially when inconvenient”.

Citing new global agreements on pandemic preparedness, ocean protection and development financing, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres said that recent “signs of momentum” show multilateralism can still deliver. Addressing ministers at UN Headquarters in New York, he called for urgent action to rescue lagging Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) amid war, inequality and fiscal strain. “Transformation is not only necessary – it is possible,” he declared, highlighting landmark commitments adopted in recent months.

In honour of Nelson Mandela International Day, the United Nations is celebrating with a public service activity, a chamber music concert and a General Assembly meeting, where Secretary-General António Guterres presented the 2025 Mandela Prize. In his remarks, the Secretary-General celebrated the extraordinary life of the South African civil rights icon, affectionately known by his Khosa clan name, Madiba. “He endured the brutal weight of oppression, and emerged not with a vision of vengeance and division – but of reconciliation, peace and unity,” Mr. Guterres said.