Secretary-General of the United Nations since 2017
António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (/ɡʊˈtɛrəs/; European Portuguese: [ɐ̃ˈtɔnju ɡuˈtɛʁɨʃ]; born 30 April 1949)) is the ninth United Nations Secretary General, and was the Prime Minister of Portugal (from 1995 to 2002) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (from June 2005 to December 2015). As General Secretary, Guterres led the United Nations to deal with issues such as climate change, the Rohingya genocide, the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, the Uyghur genocide, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tigray War, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.
From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)
From Wikidata (CC0)
This is one of the fastest scale-up operations we have ever undertaken, and we are very much aware that not everything is perfect. Whatever we can provide pales in comparison to the needs. I am here to pledge that we will boost our efforts across the board — coordinating with the Ukrainian Government every step of the way.
Limited Time Offer
Premium members can get their quote collection automatically imported into their Quotewise collections.
Ukraine is on fire. The country is being decimated before the eyes of the world. The impact on civilians is reaching terrifying proportions. Countless innocent people – including women and children – have been killed. After being hit by Russian forces, roads, airports and schools lie in ruins. According to the World Health Organization, at least 24 health facilities have suffered attacks. Hundreds of thousands of people are without water or electricity. With each passing hour, two things are increasingly clear: First — it keeps getting worse. Second — whatever the outcome, this war will have no winners, only losers.
I want Palestinians in Gaza to know: You are not alone. People around the world are outraged by the horrors we are all witnessing in real-time. I carry the voices of the vast majority of the world who have seen enough. Who have had enough. And who still believe that human dignity and decency must define us as a global community.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion one month ago, the war has led to the senseless loss of thousands of lives; the displacement of ten million people, mainly women and children; the systematic destruction of essential infrastructure; and skyrocketing food and energy prices worldwide. This must stop. ... A cessation of hostilities will allow essential humanitarian aid to be delivered and enable civilians to move around safely. It will save lives, prevent suffering, and protect civilians.
The war in Ukraine is one of the greatest challenges ever to the international order and the global peace architecture, founded on the United Nations Charter. Because of its nature, intensity, and consequences. We are dealing with the full-fledged invasion, on several fronts, of one Member State of the United Nations, Ukraine, by another, the Russian Federation — a Permanent Member of the Security Council — in violation of the United Nations Charter, and with several aims, including redrawing the internationally-recognized borders between the two countries. The war has led to senseless loss of life, massive devastation in urban centres, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. I will never forget the horrifying images of civilians killed in Bucha. I immediately called for an independent investigation to guarantee effective accountability.