Published on: 2026-10-22
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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October 22, 2026 Peace and Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday condemned acts of violence during protests that have swept across Europe and other regions. At the same time, he called for preventing violence from distracting attention from the legitimate demands of peaceful demonstrators. Speaking to journalists in New York, the Secretary-General linked people’s discontent to the expansion of armed conflicts and their impact on the global economy.
According to Guterres, food, fuel, and other essential goods are becoming more expensive, interest rates are rising – both for citizens and for countries. It is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to count on a better future.
“The violence and destruction we have seen on the streets are unacceptable—and those responsible for criminal actions must be held accountable,” emphasized the Secretary-General. At the same time, he called to understand how closely the peaceful protesters’ grievances are connected to the upheavals sweeping the world.
The Expanding Consequences of Wars
Guterres compared what is happening to El Niño – a climate phenomenon that, occurring in one part of the planet, turns people’s lives upside down thousands of kilometers away.
“Conflict feeds conflict. And the consequences spread further and faster,” he said.
The Secretary-General reminded that civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Sudan are under attack. He emphasized that such attacks are prohibited by international law and must stop.
At the same time, shocks are hitting a world deeply rooted in inequality. In it, some can afford goods and services at higher prices, while others have to choose between food and heating. Some countries borrow on favorable terms, while others are forced to choose between servicing debt and investing in healthcare and education.
War does not generate all this inequality, but it fuels it and exposes the injustice of the economic system under which the most vulnerable bear the brunt, the Secretary-General noted.
Yemen and Gaza
Guterres also expressed concern about the escalation of hostilities around the city of Taiz and in other areas of Yemen. He called the Houthi attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia completely unacceptable. Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have been forced to leave their homes; humanitarian needs are growing. The Secretary-General reported that this week he held talks with the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council. The UN Secretary-General’s special envoy is working with all parties to preserve the possibility for dialogue.
Speaking about the occupied Palestinian territory, the Secretary-General noted that as winter approaches, Israel continues to restrict the delivery of vital aid to Gaza. He also pointed out difficulties in implementing the Security Council-approved plan to end the conflict in the enclave. On the occupied West Bank, Palestinians are subjected daily to attacks by Israeli settlers, whose goal is to displace communities from their land, Guterres stated. Journalists and diplomats are also attacked.
“The situation has gotten out of control,” he stated.
The World Food Programme (WFP) urgently needs $450 million to feed the residents of Gaza and the West Bank over the next six months. According to the Secretary-General, this is approximately what the world spends on military needs in 90 minutes. He called on donors to increase their contributions.
“A reliable political path to a lasting peace, the end of the occupation, and the implementation of the two-state solution, in which Israel and Palestine will live side by side in peace and security, is also necessary,” Guterres stated.
On Friday, the Secretary-General will go to Egypt. There, according to him, he will talk about the same things: the need to stop the expansion of the war, protect civilians, and open opportunities for diplomacy and peace.
“People everywhere want security. They want a decent life. They want governments and international institutions to fulfill their obligations,” Guterres concluded. To achieve this, according to him, it is necessary to overcome the inequality that divides societies and to stop conflicts.
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