United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned in an Al Jazeera interview, ahead of his UN General Assembly address, that "the state of the world is getting worse." He cited multiplying, more complex wars and said conflicts involving major powers have fostered an atmosphere of "impunity" for midsize states, worsening outcomes for vulnerable countries. Guterres highlighted the combined impact of the war in Ukraine, disruptions to Black Sea exports, tensions in key maritime chokepoints and attacks on oil infrastructure as drivers of global economic harm.
UN Chief Issues Grim Warning: 'The World Is Getting Worse' Ahead of General Assembly
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark assessment of global affairs in an interview with Al Jazeera on the eve of his address to the UN General Assembly. He warned that geopolitical divisions and an increasing number of complex conflicts are driving the world in a more dangerous direction.
"The state of the world is getting worse," Guterres said, pointing to multiplying wars, deepening geopolitical divides and growing impunity among some states.
Guterres cautioned that clashes involving major powers have created an environment of "impunity" that encourages risk-taking by midsize states, while leaving poorer and more vulnerable countries to shoulder the humanitarian and economic fallout.
Key Concerns Highlighted
He specifically cited the interaction of multiple crises: the war in Ukraine and its effects on exports of food, fertiliser and energy through the Black Sea; rising tensions in strategic maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb; and repeated attacks on oil installations across parts of the Middle East.
"The combination of the war in Ukraine with the problems of exports of foods, fertilizers, and energy through the Black Sea, if you combine it with the difficulties in the Strait of Hormuz, in the Bab al-Mandeb, and in the attacks on oil installations in several countries of the Middle East region, we are creating a situation that has a devastating impact on many economies around the world," he said.
Guterres' remarks underscore concerns that these intersecting crises are not only prolonging humanitarian suffering but also destabilising global markets and supply chains. His comments came as world leaders prepare to debate security, food security and economic resilience at the UN General Assembly.
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