Guterres refuses personal blame, cites international indifference to UN-failed crises

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres declined to offer a personal ‘mea culpa’ for the humanitarian disasters that the United Nations has been unable to stop, placing responsibility on the international community that often remains indifferent. He explained that admitting personal guilt would imply he is accountable for the outcomes, which he does not believe to be the case given his longstanding advocacy for vulnerable populations.

In a press briefing ahead of the High-Level General Assembly week in New York, Guterres highlighted a pattern of global attention shifting away from ongoing conflicts such as those in Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan whenever new crises emerge. He stressed that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and similarly, stability in the Horn of Africa hinges on resolving Sudan’s turmoil. The remarks come as Guterres prepares to leave office at the end of December after completing two consecutive five-year terms, amid a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions and funding pressures on the U.N. system.