Guterres urges Security Council reform, financial justice and climate adaptation at AU summit press conference
February 14, 2026 | United Nations, International
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used a press conference in Addis Ababa during the African Union Summit to set out three priorities he said the UN must advance: peace and security, financial justice and climate action.
Guterres opened by praising African leadership and said the U.N.-African Union partnership "is stronger than ever." On peace and security he highlighted ongoing conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa and described African institutions as engaged but "sometimes overstretched, some are under resourced." He cited Security Council Resolution 2719 as important, saying it "is so pivotal" because it creates a clear mechanism for AU-led peace support operations authorized by the Security Council and funded through assessed contributions.
On the Security Council's makeup, Guterres said the body no longer represents the world that created it and urged reform, including "at long last, 2 permanent African seats in the Security Council." He described the Council and the use of vetoes as factors that can prevent action to stop conflicts.
Financial justice was Guterres's second priority. He said the international financial architecture "was built for a world that no longer exists" and argued that developing countries must have "a real voice and a meaningful participation" in institutions that shape their future. He called for tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, reducing borrowing costs and expanding support to countries in debt distress.
On climate action, Guterres called current conditions "climate injustice, plain and simple," noting that Africa has contributed least to the crisis while suffering disproportionate impacts through droughts, floods and deadly heat. "Developed countries need to triple adaptation finance," he said, and he urged mobilizing about $1.3 trillion a year by 2035 and larger contributions to loss-and-damage funds to enable African countries to adapt and build value at home.
Guterres also responded to a question from Xinhua about China's zero-tariff policy for African nations, saying he would "appeal to all developed countries and to all countries with a large economic potential to take exactly the same measure," and framed free trade and tariff reduction as tools for competitiveness and shared prosperity.
The press conference concluded after a round of questions from regional and international press outlets; Guterres reiterated that Africa will remain a central priority for the United Nations.
The press conference did not record any formal UN decisions or votes; it was a policy and position statement by the Secretary-General.
Guterres opened by praising African leadership and said the U.N.-African Union partnership "is stronger than ever." On peace and security he highlighted ongoing conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa and described African institutions as engaged but "sometimes overstretched, some are under resourced." He cited Security Council Resolution 2719 as important, saying it "is so pivotal" because it creates a clear mechanism for AU-led peace support operations authorized by the Security Council and funded through assessed contributions.
On the Security Council's makeup, Guterres said the body no longer represents the world that created it and urged reform, including "at long last, 2 permanent African seats in the Security Council." He described the Council and the use of vetoes as factors that can prevent action to stop conflicts.
Financial justice was Guterres's second priority. He said the international financial architecture "was built for a world that no longer exists" and argued that developing countries must have "a real voice and a meaningful participation" in institutions that shape their future. He called for tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, reducing borrowing costs and expanding support to countries in debt distress.
On climate action, Guterres called current conditions "climate injustice, plain and simple," noting that Africa has contributed least to the crisis while suffering disproportionate impacts through droughts, floods and deadly heat. "Developed countries need to triple adaptation finance," he said, and he urged mobilizing about $1.3 trillion a year by 2035 and larger contributions to loss-and-damage funds to enable African countries to adapt and build value at home.
Guterres also responded to a question from Xinhua about China's zero-tariff policy for African nations, saying he would "appeal to all developed countries and to all countries with a large economic potential to take exactly the same measure," and framed free trade and tariff reduction as tools for competitiveness and shared prosperity.
The press conference concluded after a round of questions from regional and international press outlets; Guterres reiterated that Africa will remain a central priority for the United Nations.
The press conference did not record any formal UN decisions or votes; it was a policy and position statement by the Secretary-General.
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