In a historic and solemn address at the site of the first UN General Assembly meeting, Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning that the multilateral system is under severe threat and called for a renewed global defense of international cooperation. Speaking in London's Methodist Central Hall on January 17, 2026, exactly 80 years after delegates from 51 nations gathered there, Guterres lamented a year of profound challenges while pointing to a major new ocean treaty as evidence that quiet diplomatic victories remain possible.
The choice of venue was deeply symbolic. In 1946, delegates convened in a London still scarred by the Blitz, passing bombed landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey to reach the hall. During the war, the building's basement had served as one of London's largest air-raid shelters, where up to 2,000 terrified civilians sought safety. Guterres noted that the hall is a "physical representation of what the United Nations is: a place people put their faith, for peace, for security, for a better life". He expressed profound gratitude to the United Kingdom for its decisive role in founding the UN and for remaining a strong champion of the organization today.
The Secretary-General's assessment of the current global landscape was dire. He stated that 2025 was a "profoundly challenging year for international cooperation and the values of the UN," citing slashed aid, widening inequalities, accelerated climate chaos, and trampled international law. He warned of "powerful forces lining up to undermine global cooperation," pointing to record global military spending of $2.7 trillion, over 200 times the UK's current aid budget. Other threats he highlighted included surging fossil fuel profits amid record heat, and algorithms in cyberspace that "rewarded falsehoods, fuelled hatred, and provided authoritarians with powerful tools of control".
Guterres connected these pressures to specific, devastating conflicts, stating that "the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan have been vicious and cruel beyond measure". He argued that in a world where challenges from artificial intelligence to pandemics are "ever more borderless, and ever more interconnected," the only solution is a "robust, responsive and well-resourced multilateral system".
Amidst the warnings, Guterres highlighted a significant achievement: the entry into force on the very day of his speech of the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, known as the High Seas Treaty. This legally binding pact, ratified by 81 parties including China, the EU, and Brazil, establishes the first framework for conserving marine life in the two-thirds of the ocean beyond national borders. Guterres called its negotiation a "model of modern diplomacy, led by science," involving not just governments but civil society and Indigenous Peoples.
He cited this as an example of the "quiet victories of international cooperation; the wars prevented, the famine averted, the vital treaties secured" that may not make headlines but are real and vital. The treaty aims to protect marine genetic resources, establish marine protected areas, and mandate environmental impact assessments. Its implementation will be supported by scientific bodies like UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
Looking forward, Guterres emphasized that "the world of 2026 is not the world of 1946" and argued the international system must reflect today's realities. This includes urgent reforms to the UN Security Council and the "unjust and unfair international financial architecture". He warned that those clinging to outdated privileges risk paying the price tomorrow.
His final appeal was to civil society. "In this moment when the values of multilateralism are being chipped away, it is up to us... to take a stand," he said, calling for "fearless and persistent" movements that make it impossible for leaders to look away. He concluded by reaffirming the core truth celebrated by the anniversary: "humanity is strongest when we stand as one". The event also featured remarks by General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, who asked whether the international order could endure continued violations of the UN Charter and urged summoning the same resolve as the founders did 80 years prior.