Upholding the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations Charter by Antonio Guterres United Nations Secretary-General   26 May 2026   The UN Charter is facing one of its gravest tests in decades, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Security Council on Tuesday, warning that wars, arms races, climate shocks and the erosion of international law are placing intense pressure on the multilateral system established to prevent a third world war.   "The United Nations Charter is a survival guide for humanity. A promise born from the devastation of two world wars. A commitment that the force of law must prevail over the law of force. That international disputes must be settled by peaceful means. That all States – large and small – must act in conformity with the principles of justice and international law.   For decades, the values and principles of the UN Charter have helped deliver: Placing guardrails on a nuclear arms race. Negotiating an end to devastating wars. Advancing human rights. Supporting decolonization. And fostering development across the globe. And above all, preventing a third world war. But today, the purposes and principles of the Charter are under profound strain.   Let me briefly point to seven here-and-now threats.   First, we are witnessing a dangerous erosion of respect for international law. Core principles – sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, the prohibition of the threat or use of force – are being challenged or ignored. Violations go unanswered. Impunity is spreading.   Second, geopolitical divisions are deepening. Mistrust is growing. Consensus is harder to achieve. And too often, this Council fails to act with unity and purpose. When the Security Council is divided, the consequences are felt far beyond this Chamber – and relate to my next point.   Third, conflicts are proliferating and intensifying. We now face the highest number of conflicts since the founding of the United Nations. And there is growing external interference, including the provision of weapons such as drones, which now frequently target civilians and civilian objects. Violence is expanding in scale and complexity – in the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond.   And I must add that I am deeply concerned by a recent announcement by the Russian Federation to launch consistent and systemic strikes against Ukrainian defense enterprises in Kyiv – as well as against decision making centres and command posts – following reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on a college building and dormitory in the Ukrainian city of Starobilsk, presently occupied by the Russian Federation. On Friday, we condemned the attack on the school – as we condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur.   Now more than ever, it is imperative to avoid any escalation of a conflict that has already exacted a devastating toll on civilians, and that risks making the search for peace even more distant, prolonging the suffering of people.   This takes place as Israel has announced an escalation of its operations in Lebanon. We witness constant violations of the ceasefire in Gaza. And the result of negotiations between the United States and Iran to end the conflict in the Gulf remain unpredictable.   Fourth, we are seeing an accelerating and destabilizing arms race. Global military spending is at record levels, even as deadly weapons get cheaper to produce and resources for development and humanitarian needs get slashed.   Meanwhile, new technologies – including artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons – are advancing faster than our capacity to govern them. These trends create new and uncharted risks to international peace and security.   Fifth, human rights are under full-scale attack. Across the world, we see civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights being pushed back deliberately, strategically, and even proudly. The consequences are devastating – for individuals, communities, and entire societies. When human rights fall, everything else tumbles.   Sixth, the link between peace and development is under increasing pressure. Inequalities are widening. Many developing countries are overwhelmed by debt and lack access to sufficient financing. The Sustainable Development Goals are slipping further out of reach. But let us always remember: There can be no peace without development. And no development without peace.   Seventh, the climate crisis is accelerating. It is a driver of instability, a multiplier of threats, and an increasing source of tension within and between nations.   These seven challenges are interconnected. And they are testing the resilience of the Charter itself. Together, we must summon the political will to uphold it.   Member States have reaffirmed their commitment to act in accordance with international law, including the Charter and its purposes and principles when they endorsed the Pact for the Future. And they acknowledged a central reality: our multilateral system must be strengthened to meet the demands of today’s world.   That means acting across three fundamental fronts. First – prevention and peacemaking. We must invest far more in preventing conflict before it erupts or escalates. That includes supporting national peacebuilding efforts. Addressing root causes – from inequality to exclusion to weak institutions. And pursuing peaceful means of settling disputes, as this Council itself urged last year in resolution 2788.   The tools exist: Negotiation. Enquiry. Mediation. Conciliation. Arbitration. Judicial settlement. Regional arrangements. Fact finding. And the good offices of this Organization, or any other peaceful means of the parties’ own choosing. They must be used – fully and in good faith.   Second – upholding international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Commitments must be upheld consistently – without selectivity. Without double-standards. And when violations occur, accountability must follow. Let’s not forget: On matters of peace and security, members of this Council have a particular responsibility to lead by example.   Third – and fundamentally – reform. Global institutions must reflect today’s realities – not those of 1945. Nowhere is this more urgent than in this Council. A Security Council that does not reflect the geopolitical realities of today’s world cannot fully deliver on its responsibilities.   For example, the absence of permanent representation for Africa is a historic injustice. It undermines the credibility of the Council – and diminishes its effectiveness. Reform is about restoring credibility and better ensuring that this Council can act – decisively and inclusively – to uphold the Charter.   We must also strengthen the broader multilateral system. Through our review of peace operations – to ensure they are fit for the future. Through improved coordination with regional organizations. Through greater inclusion – ensuring women, youth and marginalized groups are full participants in decisions that shape their lives, particularly when it comes to building peace.   Through reform of the international financial architecture – so that it reflects the global economy of today. And through global cooperation on emerging challenges – including the governance of artificial intelligence.   At the same time, we are working to ensure that the United Nations itself is more effective, more coherent, and more responsive – even as needs grow and resources tighten. But no reform – institutional or structural – can substitute for political will.   The Charter is clear. Member States shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.   They shall act in accordance with international law. And they shall settle international disputes peacefully, so international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered – avoiding the imposition of unilateral measures that could lead to escalation".   http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statements/2026-05-26/secretary-generals-remarks-the-united-nations-security-council-upholding-the-purposes-and-principles-of-the-un-charter-and-strengthening-the-un-centred-international http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167589 http://www.un.org/pact-for-the-future/en http://news.un.org/en/   * Protection of civilians in armed conflict - Report of the Secretary-General: http://docs.un.org/en/S/2026/390 Visit the related web page
	Sudan Conflict: 19 million people face acute food insecurity by World Food Programme, UNICEF, OCHA, agencies   14 April 2026   Three years of war: Sudan's people abandoned and hungry. (World Food Programme)   On the eve of three years of devastating war, the Sudanese people are still being left to cope with intense fighting and widespread suffering. Conflict is killing and injuring countless civilians, and leaving millions without access to food, shelter or sanitation, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today.   The international community has failed to prevent and end this conflict and to protect the Sudanese people from atrocities,” said Carl Skau, WFP’s Deputy Executive Director, who just returned from Darfur.   “The people I met in camps have been through hell. They have fled their homes leaving everything behind and now live in appalling conditions. They deserve so much better. We need to make sure they are not let down again and provide the basic support they need.”   More than 19 million people still face acute hunger in Sudan, and famine continues to haunt parts of the country as violence, displacement and economic collapse grind on. Communities have been cut off from food, markets, and aid, and children have been forced to miss three years of education, with their future hanging in the balance. Sudan remains the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with almost two‑thirds of the population now in urgent need of assistance to survive.   Sudan’s hunger crisis now risks being compounded by the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. Disruptions in the Red Sea are delaying critical imports, driving up the cost of food, fuel and fertilizer. Fuel prices in Sudan have increased by over 24 percent, driving up food prices and leaving millions unable to afford the most basic staples.   These same disruptions are also directly impacting humanitarian operations, with delayed shipments and higher transport costs. The combined impact could push families across the country deeper into food insecurity.   “The women I spoke to across Sudan told me they don’t have enough to feed their children and have no access to the most basic services,” warned Skau. “WFP and the humanitarian community have the experience and capacity to step up our support. But to do so, we need humanitarian aid to be allowed to move freely, safely and at scale – and we need far more funding.”   WFP is hyper‑prioritizing famine zones and hard‑to‑reach areas, reaching 3.5 million people each month with emergency food, cash and nutrition assistance. Two‑thirds of those WFP assists are in Darfur and Kordofan, where famine is confirmed and where fighting is heaviest. More than two million children under five and more than 500,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls benefited from nutrition assistance last year.   WFP is also sustaining livelihoods and local food systems: During the last harvest season, WFP-supported farmers produced nearly one fifth of the country’s wheat, strengthening the local economy and reducing food insecurity.   “We need to continue investing in the future of the Sudanese people,” said Skau. “We can help communities rebuild their lives by expanding our support for farmers to grow their own food again and by providing school meals to help enable children to return to school. But we need the funding to do it.”   WFP food assistance has dropped by 14 percent since January, as compared to last year, due to a lack of resources; the agency urgently requires more than USD 600 million to sustain life-saving operations in Sudan for the next six months.   http://www.wfp.org/news/three-years-war-sudans-people-abandoned-and-hungry http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-palais-briefing-sudan-three-years-war-sudan-three-years-too-many http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/reality-children-sudan-growing-darker-hour-hour%C2%A0 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/twenty-years-after-global-outcry-children-darfur-face-deeper-crisis-and-far-less http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-three-years-sudan-remains-test-world-failing http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/three-years-war-weary-sudanese-remain-move http://www.unocha.org/news/sudan-three-years-crisis-world-cannot-ignore http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/04/1167301 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/05/statement-un-experts-deploring-widespread-attacks-healthcare-sudan-10-years http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/04/un-human-rights-expert-sudan-renews-calls-dialogue-accountability-conflicts http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/04/high-commissioner-turk-calls-urgent-joint-action-sudan http://www.unognewsroom.org/story/en/3086/un-geneva-press-briefing-14-april-2026   http://www.nrc.no/news/2026/what-it-takes-to-eat-new-report-reveals-how-war-is-cutting-off-access-to-food-as-hunger-deepens-in-sudan http://care.ca/2026/04/13/new-report-reveals-how-war-is-cutting-off-access-to-food-in-sudan-as-hunger-deepens/ http://www.who.int/news/item/14-04-2026-after-three-years-of-conflict--sudan-faces-a-deeper-health-crisis http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/three-years-war-have-shattered-sudans-lifelines http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/three-years-agony-sudans-children-trapped-and-carry-deepest-scars http://unocha.exposure.co/darfurs-survivors http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/icrc-president-patterns-warfare-disregard-human-life-and-dignity-cannot-continue-sudan http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/sudan-human-cost-three-years-war http://www.ifrc.org/press-release/crisis-motion-ifrc-sounds-alarm-sudans-humanitarian-needs-escalate http://www.nrc.no/news/2026/sudan-war-refugees-pushed-into-hunger-as-livelihoods-collapse-across-the-region http://en.emergency.it/blog/from-the-field/updates-from-sudan/   http://www.hrw.org/news/2026/04/07/sudan-the-eu-must-act-for-sudans-civilians-at-three-years-of-conflict http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/ngo-statement-on-the-international-coalition-to-prevent-further-atrocities-in-sudan/ http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/atrocity-alert-no-471/ http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/04/three-years-on-sudans-warring-parties-intensify-war-against-civilians/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2026/03/11/new-sudan-atrocity-prevention-coalition-needs-to-act-fast http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-high-income-countries-must-use-berlin-meeting-save-lives-conflict-hits-three-year-mark http://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/2026/04/14/sudanese-communities-are-rebuilding-under-fire-will-berlin-back-them http://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/04/africa-aware-emergency-response-rooms-sudans-humanitarian-lifeline http://www.crisisgroup.org/anb/africa/sudan-egypt-saudi-arabia-united-arab-emirates-united-states/latest-sudan-conference-shows-diplomacy-backsliding http://humanitarianaction.info/plan/1514 http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/04/1167293 http://news.un.org/en/tags/sudan   * On April 15, Germany hosted an international conference to raise urgently needed funds to help those affected by the war in Sudan. Donors pledged 1.3 billion euros ($1.5bn) for humanitarian aid in Sudan towards the $2.9bn UN humanitarian aid appeal. Host German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said his country pledged 212 million euros ($250m) in humanitarian aid and thanked donors for their pledges. “They help to alleviate ⁠the suffering of the people in Sudan, they help to save lives, and they show that this conflict has not been forgotten,” he said. (The donors now need to deliver on their pledges)   19 Jan. 2026   Atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region are spreading from town to town in an organized campaign of violence that includes mass executions, rape and ethnic targeting, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court told the UN Security Council on Monday.   Briefing ambassadors, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said the situation in Darfur had “darkened even further,” with civilians subjected to what she described as collective torture amid a widening war between Sudan’s rival military forces.   “The picture that is emerging is appalling: organised, widespread, mass criminality including mass executions,” Ms. Khan said. “Atrocities are used as a tool to assert control.”   Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between former allies the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF).   What began as a power struggle metastasised into conflicts across the country, most devastating in the Darfur region, which also saw longstanding ethnic tensions – which prompted allegations of genocide in the early 2000s – being reignited.   She said the fall of North Darfur’s regional capital El Fasher to the RSF had been followed by a “calculated campaign of the most profound suffering,” particularly targeting non-Arab communities.   The crimes, she said, include rape, arbitrary detention, executions and the creation of mass graves, often filmed and celebrated by perpetrators.   Based on video, audio and satellite evidence collected, the ICC Prosecutor has concluded that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in El Fasher, particularly in late October, following a prolonged RSF siege of the city.   Ms. Khan said video footage showed patterns similar to those documented in earlier atrocities in Darfur, including the detention, mistreatment and killing of civilians from non-Arab tribes.   “Members of the RSF are seen celebrating direct executions and subsequently desecrating corpses,” she said.   The Office of the Prosecutor is also advancing investigations into crimes committed in El Geneina, where witnesses have provided accounts of attacks on displacement camps, looting, gender-based violence and crimes against children.   In 2023, El Geneina witnessed some of the worst violence of the war as RSF fighters and allied militias carried out massacres against the Massalit community, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee into neighbouring Chad.   UN officials and human rights investigators described the violence as ethnically motivated and warned of possible crimes against humanity.   Evidence now indicates that the patterns of atrocities seen in El Geneina have since been replicated in El Fasher, Ms. Khan said.   “This criminality is being repeated in town after town in Darfur,” she warned. “It will continue until this conflict, and the sense of impunity that fuels it, are stopped.”   Sexual violence, including rape, is being used as a weapon of war, Ms. Khan said, adding that gender-based crimes remain a priority for ICC investigations. She acknowledged cultural and security barriers that prevent survivors from reporting abuse, stressing the need for gender-sensitive and survivor-centred investigations.   While much of the briefing focused on RSF abuses, the Deputy Prosecutor said the ICC was also documenting allegations of crimes committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), underscoring that all parties to the conflict are bound by international law to protect civilians.   Ms. Khan cited the conviction last October of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb – a former Janjaweed militia leader – as a landmark step toward accountability, but cautioned that the scale of ongoing atrocities far outweighed any sense of progress.   She closed with a pointed call on Sudanese authorities to act against senior suspects long sought by the Court, including former president Omar al-Bashir, former interior minister Ahmad Harun and former defence minister Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein.   “Action must now be taken,” she said, warning that justice for Darfur’s victims would remain hollow without arrests at the highest level.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166790 http://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-icc-office-prosecutor-situation-el-fasher-north-darfur http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/sudan-evidence-el-fasher-reveals-genocidal-campaign-targeting-non-arab http://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/ffm-sudan/index http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/02/high-commissioner-turk-calls-states-do-more-end-senseless-war-sudan http://sihanet.org/statement-by-ms-hala-alkarbi-siha-network-regional-director-un-security-council-briefing-on-sudan/ http://www.msf.org/msf-report-finds-no-safe-places-women-and-girls-darfur http://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/in-focus/sudan http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167003 http://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-urges-security-council-protect-civilians-and-aid-workers-sudan   Jan. 2026   1,000 days of war has devastating impact on the children of Sudan. (UNICEF)   “Since fighting erupted in April 2023, Sudan has become one of the largest and most devastating humanitarian crises in the world, pushing millions of children to the brink of survival.   A profound protection crisis with widespread violations of international law by parties to the conflict, exacerbated by a lack of humanitarian access, has deepened with each of the 1,000 days of agony that have passed.   "In 2026, 33.7 million people, about two-thirds of the population, are expected to need urgent humanitarian assistance. Half of them are children. Affected populations’ access to lifesaving aid remains dangerously constrained across large parts of the country, intensifying the humanitarian crisis.   “Children continue to be killed and injured – just this week, 8 children were killed in an attack in Al Obeid in North Kordofan.   “More than 5 million children have been forced from their homes – the equivalent of 5,000 children displaced every day - many of them repeatedly, with attacks and violence often following them as they move. Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, which is being used as a tactic of war, with children as young as one reported among survivors.   "An estimated 21 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity in 2026. Famine has already been confirmed in Al Fasher and Kadugli, with an additional 20 areas across Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan at risk.   In North Darfur, the epicentre of Sudan’s malnutrition emergency, nearly 85,000 children with severe acute malnutrition were treated between January and November 2025, equivalent to one child every six minutes.   The collapse of health systems, critical water shortages and the breakdown of basic services are compounding the crisis, fuelling deadly disease outbreaks and placing an estimated 3.4 million children under five at risk.   “Behind these numbers are lives marked by fear, hunger and loss, as the conflict continues to rob children of safety, health and hope.   “Despite these extraordinary insecurity and access constraints, life-saving assistance continues to reach children wherever possible.   UNICEF and partners are delivering support to treat severe malnutrition, vaccinate against deadly diseases, provide safe drinking water, and offer protection and care to children affected by violence and displacement as funding permits.   “These efforts are keeping children alive under the most difficult conditions, but they remain far from sufficient in the absence of sustained access, adequate funding and a meaningful reduction in hostilities. Humanitarian action can save lives, but it cannot replace the protection that only peace can provide.   “UNICEF is urgently calling for an immediate end to the conflict. All parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law: protect civilians, stop attacks on infrastructure, and allow safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access across Sudan.   “Children in Sudan are not statistics. They are frightened, displaced and hungry, but they are also determined, resourceful and resilient. Every day, they strive to learn, to play, to hope, even as they wait for the world to act. Ending this conflict is a moral necessity. It cannot wait.”   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-sudan-have-endured-1000-days-agony http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/nutrition-survey-finds-unprecedented-level-child-malnutrition-part-sudans-north http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-warns-deepening-protection-crisis-sudan-violence-and http://www.wfp.org/news/families-sudan-pushed-brink-amidst-brutal-conflict-and-famine-wfp-resources-dry   Sudan: Two-thirds of people need aid as conflict reaches 1,000th day. (OCHA)   Today marks 1,000 days since the start of the war in Sudan, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of a conflict they did not choose. Nearly 34 million people – or some two-thirds of the population – now need humanitarian assistance, making this the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.   It is also the largest displacement crisis, with 9.3 million people displaced inside the country and more than 4.3 million refugees in neighbouring states.   Food security conditions are catastrophic. Famine has been confirmed in El Fasher in North Darfur and in Kadugli in South Kordofan, with at least 20 other areas at risk. More than 21 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure nationwide. Sieges in Kordofan have cut off Kadugli and Dilling, limiting access to food, markets and farmland.   The health system is close to collapse. Fewer than half of health facilities are fully functional, with even lower coverage in areas of active fighting. Cholera has been reported in all 18 states, with more than 72,000 suspected cases recorded last year.   Nearly 12 million people, mostly women and girls, are at risk of gender-based violence. Households headed by women are three times more likely to be food insecure, and three-quarters report not having enough to eat.   OCHA also reports continued fighting in Darfur, drone attacks and long-range strikes on civilian infrastructure.   Despite the mounting challenges, humanitarian partners reached nearly 19 million people in 2025, with local and women-led organizations often serving as the first or only responders in high-risk areas. However, access remains dangerous and politically constrained, and more than 125 aid workers have been killed since April 2023.   OCHA calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, respect for international humanitarian law, safe access for aid, protection of civilians and aid workers, and renewed funding, especially for local and women-led partners.   http://humanitarianaction.info/document/global-humanitarian-overview-2026/article/sudan-4 http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-sudan-ukraine-occupied-palestinian-territory http://humanitarianaction.info/document/global-humanitarian-overview-2026 http://news.un.org/en/audio/2026/01/1166795 http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/01/visiting-turk-salutes-sudanese-peoples-struggle-peace-calls http://www.wfp.org/news/families-sudan-pushed-brink-amidst-brutal-conflict-and-famine-wfp-resources-dry Visit the related web page
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