UN Secretary‑General Warns of Escalating Global Crisis as Security Council Remains Deadlocked

The UN chief’s mandate ends on December 31 this year, with a successor yet to be named.

Published On 21 Sep 202621 Sep 2026

United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres has warned that the world’s situation is worsening amid a stark geopolitical divide that leaves the most vulnerable nations in acute distress and paralyses the Security Council.

Speaking on the first day of the UN General Assembly in New York, Guterres said major conflicts – the war between Russia and Ukraine and the US‑Israel confrontation with Iran – are fuelling a crisis as powerful UN Security Council members repeatedly violate international law. This impunity, he warned, emboldens mid‑size powers to act without fear of consequences.

He added that wars are becoming more frequent and complex, creating an environment where aggression goes unchecked.

Guterres highlighted the real‑world humanitarian toll, noting that food accessibility is deteriorating while fuel prices and global inflation soar.

“The confluence of the Ukraine conflict with disruptions to food, fertilizer and energy exports through the Black Sea, together with bottlenecks at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al‑Mandeb and repeated strikes on oil infrastructure across the Middle East, is inflicting severe damage on economies worldwide,” he said.

While higher interest rates and fuel costs in developed economies can be managed, populations in the developing world are confronting a desperate situation as energy and food prices climb and fertilizer supplies dwindle.

Dire need for reforms

Guterres, who has led the UN since January 2017 and steps down on 31 December 2026, said the organisation confronts multiple crises and requires profound reform to remain relevant. He pointed to the Security Council, which “still essentially represents the world of World War II,” as a key area needing change.

Potential successors include Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency, former Senegalese President Macky Sall and Ecuadorian diplomat María Fernanda Espinosa.

A UN Secretary‑General must receive at least nine affirmative votes from the 15‑member Council without a veto from any of the five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – before a final vote in the General Assembly.

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