UN chief flags AI, climate change and conflicts as top agenda before General Assembly

Ahead of the United Nations General Assembly’s high‑level week, Secretary‑General António Guterres warned that the world has entered “an era of deep uncertainty.” Speaking at a briefing in New York, he highlighted the growing complexity of global challenges and called on governments to strengthen international cooperation as a cornerstone of any effective response.

Guterres urged member states to work together on a range of pressing threats, including climate change, geopolitical tensions, pandemics and food insecurity, emphasizing that fragmented approaches risk undermining collective security and development goals. He said the upcoming sessions of the General Assembly would provide a critical platform for dialogue and coordinated action, and urged delegations to translate rhetoric into concrete, multilateral initiatives.