Antonio Guterres

A Ugandan statesman is currently in a race to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations. This contest includes six other candidates who seek to succeed Antonio Guterres at the end of this year.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns that ongoing conflict in the Middle East is destabilizing global trade, energy markets, and food security, with 45 million people at risk of acute hunger. He praised a US-mediated agreement for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw from Gaza but urged immediate implementation of the plan.

A strengthening El Nino has broken records for intensity and is expected to cause extreme weather globally, according to UN officials and scientists. The phenomenon, which will likely peak in late 2024, is described as 'adding fuel to a planet already on fire' due to its combination with long-term global warming.

A strengthening El Nino is expected to break intensity records and trigger extreme weather worldwide, with the United Nations and scientists warning it will exacerbate the climate crisis. The phenomenon, which is still growing, is projected to peak in late fall 2024, combining with global warming to cause unprecedented heat, droughts, and rainfall extremes.

The UN Security Council initiated the selection process for the next Secretary-General with a closed-door straw poll. Antonio Guterres, the current UN chief, is set to complete his term on the final day of 2026, with the new leader starting on January 1, 2027.

Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu has joined the contest to become the next UN Secretary General. He is the seventh contender to succeed Antonio Guterres, who is stepping down at the end of this year.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to convene a multi-party meeting on resolving Cyprus's 50-year division. The meeting will include Greece, Britain, and Turkey as guarantor powers of Cyprus's independence.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits Cyprus to push for renewed peace talks between the island's rival sides after nearly a decade of deadlock. The sides show tentative readiness to negotiate but remain divided on the rules for talks, with failure risking tensions between Greece, Turkey, and the European Union.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres toured the former 'Assad prison' in Sednaya. The prison is described as notorious.

UN chief Antonio Guterres urged the removal of all sanctions imposed on Syria during the era of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad. Syria's new authorities, who took power in December 2024, aim to reboot the economy and rebuild infrastructure and institutions.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Damascus to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, pledging UN support for Syria's reconstruction and backing a request for EU aid. Guterres criticized the situation in the Golan Heights as 'totally unacceptable' while Damascus demanded an Israeli withdrawal from a UN-patrolled buffer zone.

UN chief Antonio Guterres stated the Golan Heights are Syrian territory and called for an end to Israeli violations of Syria's sovereignty. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani demanded Israeli forces withdraw from a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

UN chief Antonio Guterres urged an end to Israeli violations in Syria and called for international support during his first visit under new authorities. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces from a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The UN General Assembly extended Volker Turk’s term as high commissioner for human rights for four years despite opposition from the US, Russia, and Israel. The vote passed 144–10 with 13 abstentions, rejecting alternative proposals to limit the term. The US criticized the process as rushed, warning of potential consequences for UN funding and engagement.

UN chief Antonio Guterres urges international support for Syria's reconstruction following years of war and visits UN troops in a buffer zone between Syria and Israel. This marks his first visit to Syria since before the civil war began.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Damascus for a three-day visit to reaffirm support for Syria's rebuilding efforts after more than a decade of civil war.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is visiting Syria to reaffirm support for the country's transition following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by new authorities led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Guterres was received by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani during his three-day visit.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Syria, the first by a serving U.N. chief since the 2011 war began. Rebels ousted former leader Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, ending the war and initiating a transitional period led by an Islamist-led leadership.

The UN General Assembly approved a four-year extension for UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk, rejecting a Russian counter-proposal to limit his term. Russia, Israel, and the United States opposed the extension, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supported it.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk faces opposition in a vote to extend his term for another four years, with critics including the U.S. State Department and Russia accusing him of bias against Israel and China. The UN defends the reappointment as following established procedures, while some member states and candidates for the next UN secretary-general challenge the decision.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk faces opposition in a vote to extend his term due to criticism of Israel’s Gaza attacks and China’s Uyghur minority policies. The reappointment process, led by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, has been criticized as lacking transparency, with some countries and civil society groups objecting to Türk’s second term.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk faces opposition in a vote for a second four-year term due to criticism of Israel's Gaza attacks and China's Uyghur policies. The U.S. State Department and several countries oppose the reappointment, calling the process rushed and biased, while the UN defends it as rule-compliant.

The U.S. military announced new strikes on Iran amid escalating clashes over control of key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, while U.S. President Donald Trump threatened 'major military punishment' against the Houthis, citing their ties to Iran.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised Pakistan’s initiative to strengthen peaceful dispute settlement mechanisms at the UN Security Council, emphasizing the need for diplomacy over military solutions in escalating conflicts across the Middle East. Pakistan’s Resolution 2788 (2025), adopted unanimously, aims to enhance negotiation, mediation, and other peaceful means under the UN Charter.

The United Nations is set to elect a new secretary-general to replace Antonio Guterres, who will complete his second five-year term on December 31. The role, defined by the UN Charter as the 'chief administrative officer,' has historically been filled by candidates from non-global powers, with the secretary-general mediating conflicts and advising the Security Council. The UN faces challenges to its authority amid renewed criticism from the US and Israel.

The WTO warns that surging demand for critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, and rare earths is driving conflict in resource-rich regions such as Congo and Sudan, where illegal mining fuels violence. However, the organization highlights an opportunity for these nations to leverage their mineral wealth for economic transformation through local processing, strengthened international law, and cooperative strategies to avoid being locked into low-value production.

The WTO warns that rising global demand for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt risks fueling conflict in resource-rich regions, particularly in Africa, but also presents an opportunity for economic transformation if managed through local processing and international cooperation. The UN highlights how mineral exploitation in Congo and Sudan has exacerbated violence, while urging resource-rich nations to leverage their reserves for inclusive growth.

Senegal's government reversed its decision to support former president Macky Sall's candidacy for UN chief after he visited the sitting president. The government had previously opposed him due to accusations of political repression during his tenure.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Cyprus next week to attempt to restart stalled peace talks. The visit is seen as an effort to revive the peace process, though specific details about the plan or changes this time remain unclear.

UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure after Iran accused the US of targeting bridges and transport hubs. The UN expressed deep concern over military escalation between Iran and the US and highlighted the 'unacceptable' nature of such attacks.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Cyprus at the end of July to discuss peacebuilding efforts between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The visit comes amid speculation about a potential UN push to resolve the Cyprus split before his term ends.

Iran sent a letter to the UN accusing the US of violating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending regional conflict. The letter claims the US has 'systematically undermined' the MoU and disregarded its international legal obligations, posing a threat to global peace and security.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate end to escalating attacks in the Gulf, expressing deep concern over US strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks on neighboring countries. He warned that a return to full-scale war would have catastrophic consequences and urged the US and Iran to resolve their differences through diplomacy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a phone call to discuss regional developments, the Strait of Hormuz, and an agreement to end US and Israel's 'military aggression.' The conversation occurred amid ongoing US-Iran negotiations in Qatar.

UN chief Antonio Guterres expresses concern over a funding shortfall affecting millions of Palestinians and denounces disinformation campaigns against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged countries to address a $100 million funding gap for UNRWA, stating the agency is nearing a breaking point due to austerity measures and operational restrictions in occupied Palestinian territory. The agency's situation is described as increasingly precarious.

The UN Security Council was warned that Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories is undermining the two-state solution, with Pakistan's ambassador citing a large-scale expansion and the UN Secretary-General condemning the displacement crisis and violence.

Israel condemned a UN report accusing it of deliberately targeting Palestinian children, calling it a 'political blood libel.' The UN Commission of Inquiry alleged Israel committed genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel's ambassador to the UN dismissed the report as biased and focused on vilifying Israel rather than addressing Hamas' actions.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged AI companies to disclose the environmental impact of their systems during a climate conference in London. The article also notes Iran's rejection of a US claim regarding frozen Iranian assets being used to purchase American food and medicine.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution to enhance accountability for crimes against peacekeepers, sponsored by Pakistan and Denmark with over 150 cosponsors. The resolution authorizes the Secretary-General to support investigations and prosecutions of violent acts against peacekeepers, emphasizing that attacks will not be met with impunity.