Guterres warns global fault lines have widened into 'canyons' in final UN address

In his final address as UN Secretary-General on Tuesday, António Guterres warned that global fault lines have widened into "canyons," driven by eroding trust and a deep crisis of international governance. Guterres highlighted devastating wars, climate change, and unregulated AI as interconnected threats, criticized major oil companies for profiting while the atmosphere suffers, and condemned conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. He also noted the UN achieved gender parity in senior leadership for the first time. The Portuguese leader, in office since January 2017, stressed that true peace requires restraint and that power must be regulated by law. He also called Africa's lack of permanent Security Council seats "unjust and indefensible," as seven candidates vie to succeed him.