UN Secretary-General Calls on Countries to Allocate More Funds to Development and Less to Armaments

June 1, 2026 Goals in the field of sustainable development

He spoke about the results of the reforms started in 2017, which were intended to help countries achieveSustainable development goalsby 2030.

Effective support

Guterres noted that in recent years it has been possible to strengthen the role of permanent UN coordinators, who oversee development activities at the country level, as well as to expand cooperation between various agencies and increase transparency and accountability.

According to recent surveys, 94 percent of governments consider support from the UN development system effective. In addition, 80 percent of recipient countries reported significant assistance from the Organization in areas such as food security, healthcare, education, digital learning, and combating climate change.

According to the Secretary-General, thanks to the reforms, more people receive food assistance, more children have access to education, and national institutions become more capable of ensuring development.

Only in 2025 did UN institutions report savings of 900 million dollars achieved thanks to the optimization of services, supply chains, and the expansion of the use of shared services.

Less than 1700 days until 2030

Together with that, Guterres warned that there are less than 1,700 days left until the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030, while many countries are facing economic growth slowdown, increasing external debt, vulnerability to crises, and a reduction in budgetary capacities.

“The system is better prepared, but it is experiencing increasing resource shortages,” he emphasized.

The Secretary-General noted thatfinancing is being reduced at an unprecedented pace.Â

According to him, the system of permanent coordinators still largely depends on voluntary contributions and in 2025 faced a deficit of 46 million dollars.

New stages of reforms

Guterres outlined four key directions for further work. Among them is a closer alignment of UN activities with national and regional priorities, continuationreform within the framework of the “UN-80” initiative, strengthening financial capabilities and accelerating progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

He stated that the UN is considering the possibility of uniting a number of structures, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Project Services Office (UNOPS), as well as the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the “UN Women” entity. According to him, such steps should increase the efficiency of work in the areas of sustainable development and gender equality.

More funds for development, less for armaments

The Secretary-General called on states to pay more attention to financing development and combating poverty.

“In the conditionsuncontrolled growth of military spending“Countries inevitably need to reconsider their priorities and direct more resources towards tools of peace and development and less towards tools of destruction and death,” he stated.

Guterres also again called for reforming the international financial architecture and ensuring relief from the debt burden for developing countries.

The Secretary-General emphasized that over the past decade the UN has managed to demonstrate the possibility of change.

“The system we have built has become stronger, but its success depends on further efforts, commitment to development issues, and support,” he concluded.