UN Chief Urges World Leaders to ‘Get Serious,’ Prioritise People and Planet Over War in New Year 2026 Message

Addis Ababa, December 31, 2025 (FMC) — The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on world leaders to urgently reset global priorities, urging them to invest in development and peace rather than escalating military spending, as he delivered his New Year 2026 message.

Opening the year with a stark appeal, the UN chief said the world is facing a decisive moment marked by deepening instability, widespread conflict and growing human suffering.

“As we enter the new year, the world stands at a crossroads. Chaos and uncertainty surround us,” Guterres said. “People everywhere are asking: Are leaders even listening? Are they ready to act?”

He noted that more than one-quarter of humanity is living in conflict-affected areas, while over 200 million people worldwide require humanitarian assistance. Nearly 120 million people have been forcibly displaced, fleeing war, crises, disasters or persecution, he added.

Against this backdrop, the Secretary-General highlighted a sharp rise in global military spending, describing it as a troubling signal of misplaced priorities.

“As we turn the page on a turbulent year, one fact speaks louder than words: global military spending has soared to $2.7 trillion, growing by almost 10 per cent,” Guterres said.

He warned that if current trends continue, global military spending is projected to more than double from $2.7 trillion in 2024 to $6.6 trillion by 2035, even as humanitarian crises intensify across the globe. The $2.7 trillion currently spent on the military, he said, is thirteen times the total amount of global development aid combined and is equivalent to the entire gross domestic product of the African continent.

“On this New Year, let’s resolve to get our priorities straight,” Guterres urged. “A safer world begins by investing more in fighting poverty and less in fighting wars. Peace must prevail.”

The Secretary-General recalled that in September 2025, acting on a request from UN Member States made through the 2024 Pact for the Future, he launched a report titled The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future. The report, he said, exposes a stark imbalance in global spending and examines the difficult trade-offs created by rising military expenditures, while making a strong case for investing in peace and in people’s futures.

According to the report, less than four per cent, or $93 billion, of the $2.7 trillion in annual military spending would be enough to end hunger by 2030. A little over 10 per cent, or $285 billion, could fully vaccinate every child worldwide. With $5 trillion, the global community could fund 12 years of quality education for every child in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Guterres also pointed out that while military spending creates jobs, civilian sectors generally generate far more employment using the same resources. He said $1 billion spent on the military can create approximately 11,200 jobs, while the same amount could generate about 26,700 jobs in education, 16,800 in clean energy and 17,200 in health care.

He further noted that reinvesting 15 per cent, or $387 billion, of global military spending would be more than sufficient to cover the annual costs of climate change adaptation in developing countries. Such a shift would also help reduce emissions intensity, as estimates show that each dollar spent on the military generates more than twice the greenhouse gas emissions of a dollar invested in civilian sectors.

“It’s clear the world has the resources to lift lives, heal the planet, and secure a future of peace and justice,” Guterres said. “In 2026, I call on leaders everywhere: Get serious. Choose people and planet over pain.”

Concluding his New Year message, the Secretary-General called for collective action and solidarity, saying, “This New Year, let’s rise together: For justice. For humanity. For peace.”