UN Chief Urges Shift from War Spending to Social Investment in New Year Message

By: ATN News Team

UNHQ, New York: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is entering the new year amid deepening instability and misplaced priorities, urging global leaders to reduce military spending and invest instead in peace, development, and climate action.

In a pre-recorded New Year message released Monday, Guterres said the international system is under strain from widening conflicts, climate breakdown, and what he described as a retreat from international law and shared global principles. He said people around the world are increasingly questioning whether leaders are listening or prepared to act.

“As we enter the new year, the world stands at a crossroads,” Guterres said, citing rising division, violence, and systemic violations of international law. “Chaos and uncertainty surround us,” he added, describing global conditions as among the most dangerous seen in decades.

Guterres highlighted a sharp rise in global military spending as a symbol of skewed global priorities. He said military expenditures reached $2.7 trillion in 2025, an increase of nearly 10 percent, and now total more than thirteen times the amount spent on development assistance worldwide. The figure, he noted, is roughly equivalent to the entire gross domestic product of Africa.

The UN chief said the surge in arms spending comes as conflicts rage at levels not seen since World War II, while humanitarian needs continue to grow and climate impacts accelerate.

“A safer world begins by investing more in fighting poverty and less in fighting wars,” Guterres said. “Peace must prevail.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Guterres called on political leaders to make concrete choices that prioritize people and the planet over violence and division. He also appealed directly to the public, urging individuals to play a role in pushing for change.

“Our future depends on our collective courage to act,” he said, concluding with a call for unity “for justice, for humanity, and for peace.”

The message was recorded earlier this month at UN headquarters in New York and released under embargo ahead of the year’s end, as the organization faces mounting financial pressures and geopolitical tensions across multiple regions.