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New York, 4 November 2025 – Decades of efforts and new pledges by nations to keep global temperatures down have done little to fight climate change and the world is now facing “serious” escalation of climate crisis and damages, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) said in advance of the 30^th climate change conference at the Amazon city of Belem, Brazil.

Government leaders, climate scientists, civil society and non-governmental organizations are to meet in Belem 10 to 21 November, to review progress on efforts to fight climate change as temperatures are now predicted to reach 2.3 – 2.5 degree Celsius, exceeding the agreed temperatures of 1.5 degree C under the Paris Agreement reached in 2015. Many countries also have failed to submit national action plans to fight climate change.

 A UNEP assessment of available new climate pledges under the Paris Agreement finds that “the predicted global temperature rise over the course of this century has only slightly fallen, leaving the world heading for a serious escalation of climate risks and damages.”

UNEP said in its Emissions Gap Report 2025: Off Target, issued before the Belem conference, which finds that global warming projections over this century, are now 2.3-2.5°C, compared to 2.6-2.8°C in last year’s report. Implementing only current policies would lead to up to 2.8°C of warming, compared to 3.1°C last year.

“The report finds that the multi-decadal average of global temperature rise will exceed 1.5°C, at least temporarily. This will be difficult to reverse – requiring faster and bigger additional reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to minimize overshoot, reduce damages to lives and economies, and avoid over-reliance on uncertain carbon dioxide removal methods,” the Nairobi-based UN agency said in a press release.

“Nations have had three attempts to deliver promises made under the Paris Agreement, and each time they have landed off target,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “While national climate plans have delivered some progress, it is nowhere near fast enough, which is why we still need unprecedented emissions cuts in an increasingly tight window, with an increasingly challenging geopolitical backdrop.”

“But it is still possible – just. Proven solutions already exist. From the rapid growth in cheap renewable energy to tackling methane emissions, we know what needs to be done. Now is the time for countries to go all in and invest in their future with ambitious climate action – action that delivers faster economic growth, better human health, more jobs, energy, security and resilience.”

Slow climate adaptation threatens lives and economies.

UNEP said rising global temperatures and intensifying climate impacts have created a “yawning gap” in adaptation finance for developing countries, threatening live, livelihoods and economies in those countries. It said in Adaptation Gap Report 2025: Running on Emptythat financial needs by developing countries by 2035 to adapt to climate are over US$310 billion per year – 12 times as much as current international public adaptation finance flows. 

“Climate impacts are accelerating. Yet adaptation finance is not keeping pace, leaving the world’s most vulnerable exposed to rising seas, deadly storms, and searing heat,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message on the report. “Adaptation is not a cost – it is a lifeline. Closing the adaptation gap is how we protect lives, deliver climate justice, and build a safer, more sustainable world.  Let us not waste another moment.”

“Every person on this planet is living with the impacts of climate change: wildfires, heatwaves, desertification, floods, rising costs and more,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “As action to cut greenhouse gas emissions continues to lag, these impacts will only get worse, harming more people and causing significant economic damage. 

“We need a global push to increase adaptation finance – from both public and private sources – without adding to the debt burdens of vulnerable nations. Even amid tight budgets and competing priorities, the reality is simple: if we do not invest in adaptation now, we will face escalating costs every year.”

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New York, 24 October 2025 – The United Nations was established on this date in 1945 when its founding Charter went into effect after World War II came to an end with the responsibility to prevent the scourge of another world war. There had been no world war in eight decades, but the Security Council’s “legitimacy is fragile,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.

The Security Council is comprised of five permanent members – the US, Russia, China, United Kingdom and France – and 10 members elected for two-year term each. The council’s decisions are binding on UN member states but any of the five permanent members can veto those decisions, a power not given to non-permanent members. Division among the permanent members has paralyzed the council and the organization, particularly in diplomatic efforts to end the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

October 24 each year is designated United Nations Day. As it prepared to celebrate this year its 80^th birthday, the UN has seen its work and programs, particularly global humanitarian activities, threatened by deep funding cuts by the Trump administration since early 2025.

Guterres told an open meeting of the Security Council that “on many pivotal occasions” it delivered the task of maintaining peace and security in the world, and that the council exists for people and it has built a “lasting global framework to combat terrorism.”

“Above all, you have given us 80 years without the chaos of a great power war,” Guterre said. “The Council is a vital necessity, and a powerful force for good. But at the same time, its legitimacy is fragile. Too often, we have seen members of this body act outside the principles of the Charter principles we have all freely agreed to as sovereign nations. When that happens, it not only stalls action in the moment; it erodes trust in the entire United Nations project. It also puts us all in great danger.”

“When one nation flouts the rules, others think they have license to do the same. And history tells us, with brutal clarity, where that road leads,” he said. “Reform of the Security Council is imperative, and long overdue, for the maintenance of global order and safety.”

Guterres’ Pact for the Future has called for enlarging the 15-nation council to include more than 20 countries, with more permanent and non-permanent members. He said an African nation and another from Latin America and Caribbean should be made a permanent member of the council.

The UN chief called for “a Security Council fit for purpose, the world is in grave danger. It is our duty to forge a body that can meet the challenges of the next 80 years — one that delivers justice and safety for all.”

Guterres warns UN is facing a “race to bankruptcy” – While celebrating its 80^th anniversary, the UN and many of its specialized agencies are facing funding shortages that have already curtailed its programs. On October 17 Guterres told a committee of the UN General Assembly which handles UN finances and administration that the UN may face bankruptcy unless its member states pay their dues in full and on time.

Guterres presented a sharply reduced $3.238 billion regular budget for 2026 for its administration and staff known as the UN Secretariat after revising the original budget proposal for 2026 which was estimated at $3.715 billion, a drop of over 15 per cent.

UN News said the revised regular budget called for reducing staffing from the original 2026 proposal funding 13,809 posts (10,667 regular posts plus 3,142 Special Political Mission posts) to 11,594 posts – an 18.8 per cent cut compared with 2025.

It said the UN entered 2025 with a $135 million deficit and by the end of September had collected only 66.2 per cent of the year’s assessments, down from 78.1 per cent at the same point in 2024. As of mid-October 2025, only 136 of the 193 countries that are UN members had paid their assessments in full, including the United States, China, Russia and Mexico which had yet to complete their payments.

The UN peacekeeping operations, which employed tens of thousands of peacekeepers worldwide, are facing deep cuts because UN member states failed to pay their assessments to the programs.

(By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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New York, 9 October 2025 – The United Nations hailed the Trump administration’s 20-point plan that was signed off by both Israel and Hamas, triggering an immediate ceasefire of the two-year war in Gaza.

“We have all waited far too long for this moment,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement following the announcement of the ceasefire and implementation of the first phase of the plan. “Now we must make it truly count. I urge all parties to fully abide by the terms of the agreement – and to fully embrace the opportunities it presents.”

“All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The bloodshed must stop, once and for all. The United Nations stands to provide its full support,” Guterres said. “I commend the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in brokering this desperately needed breakthrough.”

The UN chief called for “full, safe and sustained access” for humanitarian workers; the removal of red tape and impediments and the rebuilding of shattered infrastructure as well as for UN member states to ensure funding of the humanitarian operations.

“I urge all to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward,” he said. “A path towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution.

A path to a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians – and to wider peace security in the Middle East.”

The plan’s first phase calls for both sides to immediately cease all military operations, for Hamas to release all remaining Israeli hostages and for Israel to release Palestinian prisoners and detainees. It calls also for full and safe passage of humanitarian aid, food and medical supplies into Gaza.

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Note: The Norwegian Refugee Council is urging global leaders to press Israel and Hamas for an immediate and permanent ceasefire as the second anniversary of the hostilities approaches.  

Oslo, 2 October 2025 – Aid workers of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) inside Gaza City and across the middle and southern parts of Gaza are witnessing spreading famine, intensifying bombardment and spiralling displacement. The NRC urges global leaders today to press Israel and Hamas for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, secure the release of hostages and Palestinian detainees, and allow civil society and aid agencies to operate freely in Gaza.  

“In Gaza City, hundreds of thousands are encircled by shelling, drones and ground troops, denied aid, and ordered to move without safe passage. Life has been reduced to a fight for water and bread,” said Jan Egeland, NRC’s Secretary General. “World leaders talk of plans, but everyday people here bury their children. Words mean nothing without action.”  

In the past six weeks alone, Israel has displaced more than 10,000 Palestinians daily, forcing nearly half a million people to flee south. Overcrowded shelters are forcing families to sleep in the open and on the streets, while water, food, medicine and shelter supplies trickle in at a fraction of what is needed. NRC provides lifesaving water at 12 displacement sites in Gaza City, but even these operations are threatened by bombardment and denied access.  

President Trump’s recently announced a 20-point Gaza plan has drawn global attention. Its value will be measured not in words, but in whether aid agencies can deliver freely and Gaza’s future is determined with, not imposed on, its people. “We welcome the plan’s commitment to UN-led aid delivery, but this must be upheld. Civil society cannot be sidelined, and peace cannot be built on dictates,” Egeland said.  

Israel’s latest offensive on Gaza City coincided with famine being declared there and the UN Commission of Inquiry determining that Israel is committing genocide. International efforts have not stopped the assault or compelled Israeli authorities to allow sufficient aid to reach civilians.  

“For two years, Gaza’s families have endured destruction, starvation, and relentless displacement. Our own staff have lost relatives, been displaced again and again, and still they go out to serve their neighbours,” Egeland added. “The international community must not watch another year of atrocity unfolding, it must act now to end the killing and open the crossings.” 

Notes to editors: 

• Between 14 August and 27 September, 446,115 Palestinians were displaced from Gaza City, where one million people lived before Israel’s offensive, an average of 10,622 people each day. (Site Management Cluster) 
• NRC provides 87 cubic metres of water daily in Gaza City, reaching 11,500 people across 12 displacement sites. This is about 7.6 litres per person, 7.4 litres below global standards. (Sphere standard) 
• NRC’s water trucking to some displacement sites was halted in recent days due to access constraints. Israel has damaged key water pipelines in Gaza City, intensifying displacement pressures. Sites and populations shift daily with Israeli troop movements, fuel remains scarce, airstrikes and drone attacks make every movement risky, and some suppliers have relocated assets to the south, threatening the shutdown of remaining services in the city.  
• In the south, people are crammed into a very limited area. Families often pay high sums to rent small plots of land. No housing is available, and services are overstretched and unable to cope. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:   

• NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329   
• Ahmed Bayram, media advisor ahmed.bayram@nrc.no, +962 790 160 147  

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New York, 30 September 2025 – The UN called for world attention and sustainable resolution of the fate of Rohingya Muslims and minorities in Myanmar as their plight has worsened while countries around the world remain indifferent.

“We gather today to shine a global spotlight on the persecution and displacement of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a high-level conference in the UN General Assembly dedicated to the situation of the Rohingya since the military takeover of Myanmar in 2021.

“It is not enough to take stock of the status quo. We must also foster solidarity and forged solutions,” he said. “Minorities in Myanmar have endured decades of exclusion, abuse and violence. The Rohingya have been stripped of their right to citizenship. Targeted by hate speech. Terrorized with deadly force and destruction. Confined to IDP camps in Myanmar.  with severely limited freedom of movement and little access to education and health services. More than a million have sought refuge in Bangladesh, which has shown remarkable hospitality.”

The UN said Bangladesh has taken over the burden of hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingya in massive refugee camps, including 150,000 who arrived in the country since fighting re-ignited in Myanmar’s Rakhine in 2024.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told the UN conference that the Rohingya fled to Bangladesh as they lived in Myanmar “with the threat of arbitrary arrest and detention, with restricted access to healthcare and education. They cannot move freely. They are subjected to forced labour and forced recruitment. Their lives are defined everyday by racism and fear.”

“For these reasons I want to reiterate my gratitude to countries in the region that for years have hosted refugees from Myanmar, and especially Rohingya refugees, such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.”

The UN said in a resolution that the objectives of the conference are to mobilize political support, sustain international attention on the crisis, review the overall crisis and address its root causes, including human rights issues, and share perspectives on the situation on the ground, including challenges faced by Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, as well as humanitarian issues within Myanmar and the region. It called for a comprehensive, innovative and concrete plan for a sustainable resolution of the crisis, including efforts to create a conducive environment for the voluntary, safe, sustainable and dignified return of Rohingya Muslims and other members of minority groups to Myanmar in a timely manner.

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in Rakhine and across the country, as military blockades have severely restricted access. He said nearly a third of the country’s population, some 15.2 million people, are facing acute food insecurity this year. That represents an increase of almost 2 million people in a year.

“All these conditions have displaced over 3.5 million people within the country and pushed an additional 150,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh since January 2024,” Turk said. “Insecurity in the refugee camps in Bangladesh is deepening, leaving people in even greater fear and despair. Armed groups, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, prey on families – they extort money from them, and forcibly recruit boys and young men.”

Warning of collapse – UN News reported that Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government who addressed the UN General Assembly’s annual debate on September 26, has issued one of the starkest warnings yet.

“The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warns of a critical funding shortfall. Without urgent new funding, monthly rations may have to be halved to a paltry $6 per person, pushing the Rohingya deeper into hunger and forcing them to resort to desperate measures,” he said.

He called for “enhanced contribution” from donors but stressed that the roots of the crisis lie inside Myanmar:

“Deprivation of rights and persecution of the Rohingya, rooted in cultural identity politics, continue in Rakhine. Reversal of the process of marginalization of the Rohingya cannot wait any further,” he said.

“There must be a political solution to the problems involving all stakeholders there, so that they become part of the Rakhine society with equal rights as equal citizens.”

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New York, 27 September 2025 – The United Nations will ask governments around the world to nominate experts for the 40-member scientific panel established by the UN General Assembly to draw up red lines as artificial intelligence offers opportunities as well as risks. The project puts the UN at the center of competition for global AI leadership.

The decision by the Assembly, which comprises 193 countries, is backed by organizations that share the views that AI use without guardrails may lead to dangerous consequences. The AI Red Lines group (see www.red-lines.ai) has issued a statement with the headline: “We urge governments to reach an international agreement on red lines for AI — ensuring they are operational, with robust enforcement mechanisms — by the end of 2026.”

“AI holds immense potential to advance human wellbeing, yet its current trajectory presents unprecedented dangers. AI could soon far surpass human capabilities and escalate risks such as engineered pandemics, widespread disinformation, large-scale manipulation of individuals including children, national and international security concerns, mass unemployment, and systematic human rights violations,” the group said.

The statement – with nearly 300 signatories, including 10 Nobel Prize laureates and recipients, 70 organizations and 200 prominent personalities – said some advanced AI systems have already exhibited “deceptive and harmful behavior,” yet they are given autonomous functions.

“Governments must act decisively before the window for meaningful intervention closes. An international agreement on clear and verifiable red lines is necessary for preventing universally unacceptable risks. These red lines should build upon and enforce existing global frameworks and voluntary corporate commitments, ensuring that all advanced AI providers are accountable to shared thresholds.”

The UN said it will form the panel to synthesize and analyze the research on AI risks and opportunities, in the vein of previous similar efforts by the body on climate change and nuclear policy, as reported by UN News.

The UN Security Council has a “distinct role to play” regarding AI – The Council, comprising 15 nations including the world’s five powers – the US, Russia, China, France and United Kingdom – held a meeting on September 24, convened by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to discuss issues related to AI. South Korea holds the rotating presidency of the council in September.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who backed the 40-member panel, told the council, “The question is not whether AI will influence international peace and security, but how we will shape that influence.”

When it functions properly and is responsible, AI can strengthen prevention and protection for anticipated food insecurity and displacement; supporting de-mining; helping identify potential outbreaks of violence and much more.

“But without guardrails, it can also be weaponized,” Guterres said, citing

AI-enabled cyberattacks that can disrupt or destroy critical infrastructure in minutes and its ability to fabricate and manipulate audio and video threatens information integrity, fuels polarization, and can trigger diplomatic crises.

The UN chief said the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and an annual Global Dialogue on AI Governance organized by the UN in August this year represented “a recognition of the unique convening power of the UN. Together, these initiatives aim to connect science, policy and practice; provide every country a seat at the table; and reduce fragmentation.”

“I will soon launch an open call for nominations for the Scientific Panel,” he said and urge governments to nominate eminent and diverse experts, and provide support the panel’s expertise, independence and regional balance.

The UN General Assembly, while holding its 80^th session in September with more than 140 heads of state and government attending, said it was implementing a “global dialogue on artificial intelligence governance,” to assemble ideas and best practices on AI governance. It also announced a plan to establish itself as the leading global forumto guide the path and pace of artificial intelligence, a major foray into the raging debate over the future of the rapidly changing technology.

The Security Council’s debate on AI on September 24 was part of its responsibility on the maintenance of international peace and security. It said it has a “distinct role to play” on AI use where it intersects with its responsibility. It said AI has emerged as one of “the most consequential technological revolutions in modern history, rapidly transforming every aspect of human activities across both military and civilian domains.”

One participant in the council meeting was Yejin Choi, Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, who told the body that current progress in AI is too concentrated among a handful of companies and countries, as reported by UN News.

“When only a few have the resources to build and benefit from AI, we leave the rest of the world waiting at the door,” she said. “Let us expand what intelligence can be – and let everyone everywhere have a role in building it.”

Ms. Choi urged governments and international institutions to invest in alternative approaches beyond scaling ever-larger models, arguing that smaller, more adaptive systems could lower barriers to entry. Let us expand what intelligence can be, and let everyone have a role in building it

She also pressed for stronger representation of linguistic and cultural diversity, noting that today’s leading AI models “underperform for many non-English languages and reflect narrow cultural assumptions.”

Yoshua Bengio, from the Canadian AI institute MILA, said: “If scientifically observed trends continue, some AIs could surpass humans across most cognitive tasks in as little as five, maybe 10, years. This would be a radical change in the history of mankind. Scientists still do not know how to design AIs that will not harm people, that will always act according to our instructions and comply with human rights and human dignity. Advances in AI will offer ways to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges. Yet they will also introduce major risks to international peace and security.”

(By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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Note: With progress on attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only stalling but spiraling downwards, UN report highlights urgent reforms and innovations to restore peace, justice, and inclusion worldwide. Following is a press release from the UN Development Program (UNDP).

New York, 23 September 2025 – Ten years after world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda, a new UN report finds that none of the 23 targets under Sustainable Development Goal 16 are on track. Moreover, 15 per cent of the Goal’s targets are regressing, based on a recent assessment by the UN Statistics Division.

The Global Progress Report on Sustainable Development Goal 16 released today by UNDP, UNODC, and OHCHR underscores the central role of peaceful, just and inclusive societies in advancing the United Nations’ founding vision. 

Yet instead of progress, the past decade has brought surging conflict-related deaths, rising attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, and growing discrimination, leaving the world further from the vision of peaceful, just and inclusive societies than it was in 2015.

“The message of this report could not be clearer: without urgent investment in governance that is effective, accountable and inclusive, the foundations of our societies are at risk,” said Haoliang Xu, Acting Administrator of UNDP.  “Restoring peace and rebuilding after conflict is not only about repairing infrastructure, but also about ensuring dignity, livelihoods, and the institutions that allow societies to govern themselves fairly and effectively.”

Disproportionate impact on women and children  –  Between 2023 and 2024, more than 21,000 women and nearly 17,000 children were killed in conflicts, a fourfold increase compared to the previous two years. Of these, 8 in 10 children and 7 in 10 women were in Gaza, reflecting the devastating impact of the war. 

Globally, 2024 marked the third consecutive year of steep rises in conflict-related deaths of civilians and persons of undetermined status, representing a growth of 40 per cent compared to the previous year. 

“These distressing figures reveal a stark deviation from the trajectory towards global peace, security and sustainable development,” states the report. “Immediate and concerted efforts are imperative to reverse this trend and to adhere to international humanitarian and human rights law.”

Human rights defenders under attack – Persistent rights abuses by governments, organized crime groups, and other non-state actors are eroding civic space. Every 14 hours, a journalist, trade unionist, or human rights defender was killed or disappeared.

To counter this, OHCHR is developing new approaches to integrate multiple data sources and advanced data science methods to track attacks against civic space actors.

“The success of the entire 2030 Agenda depends on an unshakeable commitment to human rights. Universal and indivisible, they are the foundation not only of SDG 16 but of all the Goals, gathering, sharing and using data. That is why we are developing the Human Rights Data Exchange, a groundbreaking platform to make human rights data more accessible, transparent, and actionable for all,” said Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Solutions for safer societies – The report emphasizes that governance failures like corruption, illicit arms flows, and weak rule of law are at the root of many conflicts. Strengthening governance is essential to breaking cycles of violence and building trust. 

Encouragingly, global homicide rates have fallen since 2015, with projections suggesting they could continue dropping if current trends continue. Technology, including AI, could accelerate these gains if deployed responsibly. 

“We are witnessing alarming levels of violence and persistent gaps in access to justice,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly. “The report shows that these trends are eroding hard-won progress and pushing us further off track from delivering on the SDGs. Unless we act decisively to strengthen the rule of law, rebuild trust in institutions, and guarantee equal access to justice for all, we risk failing not only on SDG16 but the wider 2030 Agenda.”

A critical moment for the UN – The report is released as the UN marks its 80th anniversary and advances the UN80 reform initiative, a system-wide effort to adapt the organization to today’s complex global challenges amid budget pressures and tightening resources.

Aligned with the UNGA’s 80th anniversary theme, “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights,” the UN and its partners are scaling up innovation, capacity building with governments, and new forms of collaboration with the private sector to counter regression and accelerate progress.

With such clear evidence of the inextricable link between effective governance and peaceful societies, the authors call on governments, donors, and international partners to collaborate and invest in the rule of law, civic space, and data-driven innovation so that peace, justice, and inclusion can remain within reach by 2030.

Read the full report here.

For media queries:

UNDP: Sangita Khadka – sangita.khadka@undp.org  | New York

OHCHR: Fiona Willis-Núñez – fiona.willis-nunez@un.org  | Geneva

UNODC: Sonya Yee – unodc-press@un.org | Vienna

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New York, 23 September 2025 – The United Nations celebrated its 80^th anniversary before opening its annual session attended by leaders of the 193 state members. UN Secretary General Antonio warned, however, that the organization’s principles are under siege.

The UN chief was not alone to admit that there was nothing to celebrate. The newly appointed president of the 193-nation UN General Assembly, former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, said the UN was founded in the aftermath of two world wars and the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945 “was a promise from leaders to their peoples, and from nations to one another, that humanity had learned from its darkest chapters.”

But she said, “the hours indeed feel dark once again,” with crises in Gaza, Ukraine and in some African countries. “As we mark 80 years of our United Nations, we are once again standing at a crossroads,” Baerbock told the assembly members. “We cannot take the easy path and simply give up. We have to choose the right path; to show the world that we can be better together.”

Guterres said in an address opening the 80 UN General Assembly session. ”We have entered an age of reckless disruption and relentless human suffering. Look around. The principles of the United Nations that you have established are under siege. Listen. The pillars of peace and progress are buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality, and indifference.”

He said the UN’s ability to carry out its mission has been cut while sovereign nations are invaded, hunger is weaponized and truth is silenced.

Despite the brutal assessment of the current conditions around the world, Guterres said the UN remains “a moral compass” for all its members, a force for peace and peacekeeping, a guardian of international law, a lifeline for people in crisis and a lighthouse for human rights.

The UN chief urged governments to choose to strengthen the UN for the 21^st century because “the forces shaking our world are also testing the foundations of the United Nations system. We are being hit by rising geopolitical tensions and divisions, chronic uncertainty, and mounting financial strain. But those who depend on the United Nations must not be made to bear the cost.”

A total of 36 presidents were to address the assembly on its first day (September 23) of debate, which is to conclude on September 29. The speakers on the first day included the presidents of Brazil, the US, Indonesia, Turkeye, Peru, Portugal, Egypt, Slovenia and Uzbekistan.

US President Donald Trump blasts the UN

President Trump complained to the assembled world leaders that the escalator leading to the assembly hall wasn’t working properly and the teleprompter at the podium was not working either. But he said he can deliver his speech without notes and teleprompter. But he was reading from a script.

“I’ve always said the UN has such tremendous, tremendous potential,” he said. “But it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential. For the most part, at least for now, all they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter. It’s empty words and empty words don’t solve war.”

Trump told the UN that the US is “the hottest country anywhere in the world, and there is no other country even close.” He said the US is the “best country on earth to do business” and its economy now is “bigger and even better” than during his first term, which he described as “the greatest … in the history of the world.”

The US president also criticized European nations that have recognized Palestine as a state. “As if to encourage continued conflict, some in this body seek to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state,” he said. “This would be a reward for these horrible atrocities, including October 7th. But instead of giving in to Hamas as ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message: release the hostages now. Just release the hostages now.” (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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New York, 22 September 2025 – The UN General Assembly, presided by French President Emmanuel Macron, held a session attended by heads of state and government to “preserve the very possibility” of Israel and Palestine coexisting in peace and security – which the world organization calls the two-state solution.

“We must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” Macron told the assembly that comprises 193 member states.

Macron and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, whose countries spearheaded the movement to recognize the state of Palestine, led the session one day before the assembly were to hold a world summit (September 23-29) with about 140 presidents attending in person. The UN’s 193 member states have sent delegations to address the assembly session.

“The time has come.,” Macron said. “This is why – true to the historic commitment of my country to the Middle East, to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians—this is why I declare that today, France recognizes the state of Palestine. Some may say it’s too late; others may say it’s too early. But one thing is certain—we can no longer wait.”

Macron also added that “nothing justifies the ongoing war in Gaza. Everything compels us to definitively end it.”

France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Belgium, Australia are among the many countries are in favor of the State of Palestine. Countries that opposed are the United States and Israel.

 “Recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in no way detracts from the rights of the Israeli people, which France has supported from day one and to which it is no less committed. This is precisely because we are convinced that this recognition is the only solution that will bring peace to Israel. This recognition of the State of Palestine is a defeat for Hamas and for all those who fuel anti-Semitic hatred, fuel anti-Zionist obsessions, and seek the destruction of the State of Israel.“

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said at opening of the session that the Israel-Hamas was made the situation in Gaza “intolerable, and it is deteriorating by the hour.”

“We are here today to help navigate the only way out of this nightmare: A Two-State solution, where two independent, sovereign, democratic States – Israel and Palestine – live side-by-side in peace and security within their secure and recognized borders on the basis of pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states – in line with international law, UN resolutions and other relevant agreements. I welcome the measures many Member States are taking to galvanize support for the Two-State solution – including pledges to recognize the State of Palestine,” he said.

Guterres repeated a call for “an immediate and permanent ceasefire; the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages; and immediate, full, safe, unconditional and unhindered humanitarian access.” Hamas militants launched attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducted 251 others.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was denied a US visa to attend the UN meetings in New York, addressed the assembly through a video set up. He urged Israel to negotiate an “end to this bloodshed and bring about a comprehensive peace in Gaza. We affirm our condemnation of the crimes of the occupation, and we also condemn the killing and capture of civilians, including what Hamas committed on October 7, 2023.”

Abbas declared, “Hamas will not have a role in government, and it and other factions must surrender their weapons to the Palestinian Authority, because we want a single, unified state. One legitimate, one armed, and one law.”

The UN said the nearly two-year old war in Gaza has inflicted widespread and after nearly two years of war in Gaza, the suffering of its residents shows no sign of easing. As Israel launches a major ground offensive in the north of the enclave, attention once again turns to the United Nations. 

The session supporting the state of Palestine and the two-state solution was the culmination of discussions over the years. The assembly on September 12 this year adopted the “New York Declaration,” which followed a July conference also convened by France and Saudi Arabia which called for “just and lasting peace grounded in international law and based on the two-state solution.” The declaration urged Hamas to “end its role in Gaza, and handover its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.” The US and Israel, which had boycotted the July conference, voted against the declaration. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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New York, 18 September 2025 – The United Nations General Assembly will hold its 80^th session (September 23-29) during which nearly 150 heads of state and government and dozens of high-ranking officials are to address the world’s current situation. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is urging those world leaders to take action to end crises – from wars and famine to climate change

“We are gathering in turbulent – even uncharted – waters,” he said ahead of the session. “Geo-political divides widening. Conflicts raging. Impunity escalating. Our planet overheating. New technologies racing ahead without guardrails. Inequalities widening by the hour. And international cooperation is straining under pressures unseen in our lifetimes.”

“But next week every country will be here – including nearly 150 Heads of State and Government. This is an opportunity we cannot miss.”

Guterres urged world leaders attending the annual session to “get serious and deliver” reminding them that the high-level meetings are known also as “the World Cup of diplomacy … but this cannot be about scoring points, It must be about solving problems.”

“The United Nations is the place. Next week is the time. Leaders must get serious,” he said.

UN announces cuts in budget and staff while damages inflicted on children’s education and health and needy people are palpable

Just before the 193 UN member members are to begin their annual meetings to celebrate the organization’s 80^th anniversary, they are told of significant cuts in the budget for global activities and how the cuts would affect humanitarian and peacekeeping activities as well as personnel.

The UN chief said the revised regular annual budget for 2026 is estimated at $3,238.2 million after a reduction of nearly $577 million following an extensive review done in previous months by the UN Secretariat about how to implement its mandate and allocate the diminished resources. As for human resources, there will be a reduction of 2,691 posts and the estimated total number of UN posts in 2026 will be 11,594 – or a reduction of 18.8 per cent.

“While ensuring balance among the three pillars of our work – peace and security, human rights and sustainable development – Secretariat entities explored how to improve delivery to optimize the use of resources. As a result, we identified targeted efficiencies and cost reductions to the regular and support account budgets for 2026 – reductions of more than 15 per cent in the regular budget level and about 19 per cent in posts, compared to the approved levels for 2025,” Guterres said in a letter to UN state members.

He said the reductions have been “carefully calibrated” to shield programs and activities directly supporting member states, particularly least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states, and advocacy for the development of Africa. Support for peacebuilding and resident coordinators will also remain.

The report on budget reductions has been sent to the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions in the UN General Assembly for its consideration as part of the UN80 programs. The report is expected to be adopted by the membership to reform and improve efficiencies in the UN global programs despite funding cuts. UN members are expected to negotiate and decide on administrative and budget programs so they can take effect beginning of 2026.

In another letter to the UN staff, Guterres said the changes made in the budget and programs are expected to affect their daily work and professional lives. But he assured them: “You will be fully engaged and supported throughout the process.”

He said the changes are “not across-the-board reductions” because they maintain balance between the three pillars of the organization – peace and security, human rights and sustainable development.

Funding cuts have closed hundreds of humanitarian organizations –

Tom Fletcher, the head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said on 15 September that humanitarian programs are “underfunded, overstretched and under attack” since fundings are drastically reduced and his department has only 19 per cent of the funds needed in response to crises. The top donors to humanitarian programs have been the European Commission, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Fletcher pointed out that OCHA and the international community have been dealing with crises around the world, including the war in Ukraine and Gaza, and conflicts as well as humanitarian crises in Sudan, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Haiti and Myanmar. OCHA and humanitarian partners had called for $44 billion to assist 180 million vulnerable people in 70 countries in 2025 but received under $15 billion.

Funding cuts have forced six million more children to stay out of school in 2025, the UN Children’s Fund said, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees warned that 11 million refugees may no longer receive any help they need. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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