António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
Disarmament is not the reward for peace. Disarmament is the foundation of peace. So before it’s too late: Let’s break the collective amnesia around nuclear weapons. [...] Let’s act with urgency to lift this cloud hanging over humanity.
News stories
28 May 2026 — The United Nations on Thursday warned of a dangerous escalation in the war in Ukraine after a wave of large-scale Russian strikes and threats of further attacks, with Secretary-General António Guterres saying “the death spiral must stop.”
26 May 2026 — The UN Charter is facing one of its gravest tests in decades, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Tuesday, warning that wars, arms races, climate shocks and the erosion of international law are placing intense pressure on the multilateral system established to prevent a third world war.
13 May 2026 — Africa’s rising influence is being constrained by outdated global institutions, unfair borrowing costs and cascading global crises, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warned in Addis Ababa, as the United Nations and African Union reaffirmed their strategic partnership.
Did you know?
Number of United Nations Secretaries-General since its creation in 1945
Number of years of the term of office of the UN Secretary-General, with the possibility of renewal
First Secretary-General to have previously held the position of Head of Government
Number of candidates for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2016
