Antonio Guterres seems to take goal on the US, which just lately slashed its contribution, telling the UN to ‘adapt or die’.
Printed On 15 Jan 2026
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has lashed out at world leaders he accused of turning their backs on worldwide cooperation amid “self-defeating geopolitical divides” and “brazen violations of worldwide regulation”.
Addressing the UN Normal Meeting on Thursday, the UN secretary-general slammed “wholesale cuts in growth and humanitarian help”, warning that they had been “shaking the foundations of worldwide cooperation and testing the resilience of multilateralism itself”.
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“At a time once we want worldwide cooperation essentially the most, we appear to be the least inclined to make use of it and spend money on it. Some search to place worldwide cooperation on deathwatch,” he stated.
Final annual speech
The secretary-general, who will step down on the finish of 2026, held off naming offending international locations, however appeared to discuss with deep cuts to the budgets of UN companies made by america below the “America First” insurance policies of US President Donald Trump.
Whereas different international locations have additionally lower funding, the US introduced on the finish of final yr that it could be allocating solely $2bn to United Nations humanitarian help, representing a small fraction of the main funder’s earlier contributions of as much as $17bn.
Trump’s administration has successfully dismantled its major platform for overseas help, the US Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID), calling on UN companies to “adapt, shrink or die”.
Setting out his final annual listing of priorities as secretary-general for the yr forward, Guterres stated the UN was “completely dedicated in the reason for peace in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and much past and tireless in delivering life-saving help to these so determined for help”.
The UN chief insisted humanitarian help be allowed to “stream unimpeded” into Gaza, stated no effort must be spared to cease the Russia-Ukraine battle, and urged a resumption of talks to convey a couple of lasting ceasefire in Sudan.
These three lethal, protracted conflicts have come to outline Guterres’s time on the helm of the UN, with critics arguing the organisation has proved ineffective at battle prevention.
The organisation’s high decision-making physique, the Safety Council, is paralysed due to tensions between the US, Russia and China, all three of that are everlasting, veto-wielding members.
