Secretary-General: The Middle East crisis is lumbering into its third month.

Despite a fragile ceasefire, the consequences grow dramatically worse with each passing hour.

I am deeply concerned about the curtailment of navigational rights and freedoms in the area of the Strait of Hormuz.

Impeding the delivery of oil, gas, fertilizer, and other critical commodities.

Disrupting energy, transport, manufacturing, and food markets.

And strangling the global economy.

As with every conflict, the whole of humanity is paying the price – even if a few are reaping huge profits.

The pain will be felt for a long time to come.

Consider these three scenarios, based on forecasts from multiple sources:

First, one where restrictions are lifted today.

Supply chains will take months to recover, prolonging lower economic output and higher prices.

This year’s global economic growth will still drop – from 3.4 to 3.1 percent.

Global inflation – which had been declining – will climb from 3.8 to 4.4 percent.

Global merchandise trade growth will shrink – from 4.7 percent last year to roughly 2 percent – with some meaningful supply chain interruptions.

And a world still reeling from the shocks of a pandemic and the war in Ukraine will endure further economic distress.

This is the best-case scenario.

Now consider a second one, where disruption drags on through midyear.

Growth falls to 2.5 percent.

Inflation hits 5.4 percent.

32 million people are pushed into poverty.

Fertilizers run low, and crops yields fall short.

45 million more people will face extreme hunger.

Hard-won development gains are reversed overnight.

Now In a third scenario, with severe disruptions persist through the end of the year.

Inflation skyrockets past 6 percent.

Growth plummets to 2 percent.

Immense suffering takes hold, especially among the world’s most vulnerable populations.

And we confront the spectre of a global recession – with dramatic impacts on people, on the economy, and on political and social stability.

These consequences are not cumulative. They are exponential.

The longer this vital artery is choked, the harder it will be to reverse the damage.

And the higher the cost to humanity.

Developing countries will be hit the hardest, as crushing debt impedes their ability to cope.

With lost jobs, deeper poverty, and more hunger.

The crisis has already locked in losses for months to come.

Every day that ships cannot move escalates these costs and amplifies their reverberations across the global economy.

My message to all parties is clear:

Navigational rights and freedoms must be restored immediately, in line with the Security Council Resolution 2817.

Open the Strait.
Let all ships pass.

Let the global economy breathe again.

That requires more than physical reopening.

It requires shipping to be safe, predictable and insurable.

Simultaneously, I urge all parties to refrain from actions that could undermine the ceasefire.

I have remained in close contact with a number of parties, as has my Personal Envoy Jean Arnault.

All our interlocutors – independent of their different perspectives – recognize the need to work towards a peaceful, comprehensive, and durable resolution to the conflict.

In the meantime, the UN system is working to mitigate the impact of the current crisis.

The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, is developing a framework to securely evacuate ships and seafarers from the conflict zone provided it is safe to do so.

And the head of the UN Office of Project Services, Jorge Moreira da Silva, who is leading the UN Task Force for the Strait of Hormuz, will be heading to the region to continue his active consultations for a possible humanitarian corridor to be ready if the worst-case scenarios materialize.

Dear members of the media,

Now is the time for dialogue.

For solutions that pull us back from the brink.

And for measures that can open a pathway to peace.

The world is waiting.

Thank you.

Question: Mr. Secretary-General, I hope you’ll forgive me for being a little bit off-topic today. Our colleagues at Devex are reporting that the United States has sent memos to diplomats in New York, in which it says that it aims to pay a significant portion of its 2026 dues to the UN’s regular budget on condition that the Secretary-General implement the following quick-win reforms: These include overhauling the UN pension system, ending long-distance business class travel for some senior and all mid-level professionals, and imposing additional cuts in posts in the UN senior ranks. It also says that it aims to pay a significant portion of its peacekeeping contribution if there are 10% cuts across the board at UN peacekeeping missions. Your reaction, sir?

Secretary-General: The money we are talking about is referred to as assessed contributions. Assessed contributions are an obligation of Member States. They are non-negotiable. Obviously, we will do our best to pursue our reforms, UN80, and to make sure that we make this organization as effective and as cost-effective and as able to deliver for the people we care for. But these are two separate things.
 Question: Thank you, Secretary General. Can you tell us who Mr. da Silva will be meeting with in the region? Does he have appointments set up? Who will he be speaking with? And what kind of reception is he getting from the parties?

Secretary-General: He has been meeting with the representatives of all the countries that are relevant - from the United States and Iran to countries of the Gulf, to countries of the negotiating… the mediator team led by Pakistan. And he will be visiting Oman, Iran, and countries in the Gulf, in order to explain the projects that we have, which, let's be clear, are not to replace freedom of navigation. They are, in the worst-case scenario where everything is blocked, to see if there is any chance to have, for humanitarian purposes, some kind of corridor. But our objective is total freedom of navigation in the area of the Strait of Hormuz.

Question: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. My name is Sinan Tuncdemir from the Amargi. Given your experience with peace negotiations around the world, how do you assess the current prospects for the Kurdish-Turkish peace process? And do you believe it can succeed what previously has failed? And in addition, you were in Türkiye last month. I wonder if you talked to the Turkish authorities regarding the peace process, like with the Turkish President.

Question: I consider that the peace process that took place between the state of Türkiye and the PKK is an extremely important development. I think that a full normalization of that question would be to the benefit of not only Türkiye, not only the Turkish Kurds but of the whole region. Thank you.
*** 

The ongoing Middle East conflict is adding fresh pressure to the economic outlook of Asia and the Pacific, disrupting energy and commodity markets, and trade and connectivity routes at a time of already high global economic uncertainty, according to a new United Nations report.The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2026, released by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), highlights that rising energy and food prices, along with weaker global demand, are dimming economic growth prospects and increasing the cost of living across the region. 

Low-skilled workers and low-income households are particularly vulnerable, as they are more exposed to rising living costs and have limited access to social protection. High public debt vulnerabilities and likely increase in interest rates due to higher inflation expectations may constrain the ability of governments to respond to the latest economic shocks.“Policymakers are navigating rising global trade protectionism, economic policy uncertainty and geo-economic fragmentation. Their eventual impact would be disproportionate for countries with smaller room for policy support and for people having limited access to social protection,” underscored Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP.
 Shifting towards more resilient economic growthESCAP projects, under considerable uncertainty, developing economies in the region to grow by 4.0% in 2026 on average, down from 4.6% in 2025, and inflation to rise to 4.6% in 2026 on average, up from 3.5% in 2025, reversing recent gains in inflation stability. Despite this moderation, the region is expected to remain the fastest-growing developing region globally.However, sustaining this performance will require a gradual shift from a primarily export-driven growth approach towards stronger domestic and regional sources of demand. Key priorities in this vein include boosting productivity, expanding social protection, improving access to finance, and strengthening digital and physical connectivity across the region. Deeper regional cooperation will be critical to offset the effects of global economic fragmentation.

Aligning energy transition, climate goals with economic policyThe ongoing global energy crisis is yet another wakeup call for Asia and the Pacific to strengthen energy resilience, including through homegrown renewable energy. An energy transition could help reverse years of regression in Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action.“This is especially critical today, as we witness in real time the effects of a dependence on fossil fuels, where every conflict risks sending shockwaves through the global economy,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.However, the report cautions that transition policies must be carefully designed to avoid unintended socio-economic consequences. Measures to reduce reliance on fossil fuel, expand renewable energy and improve energy efficiency could increase inflation, weaken fiscal positions, increase poverty and widen income inequality, if not implemented in a calibrated and consultative manner.The report also finds that economic policy issues are still only weakly integrated into most national transition strategies. Policy choices will need to reflect country-specific conditions. A gradual fossil fuel subsidy cut would help cushion people’s purchasing power, especially where fiscal support to mitigate higher energy prices is constrained.Meanwhile, countries with deeper financial markets can mobilize private capital for green investment. Many least developed countries and small island developing States will require stronger international support to ensure access to affordable and reliable energy.Political economy insights can further support these efforts, according to the 2026 Survey. For example, governments can time energy transition when political popularity is high, while creating new beneficiaries in renewable energy sectors to endure reform. The report also highlights how behavioral insights can boost policy uptake, such as increasing adoption of low-carbon technologies through peer comparisons or improving public acceptance of carbon pricing when revenues are used transparently and equitably.

[END]

Earthquakes are one of nature’s deadliest hazards. In seconds, they can turn homes into ruins, undo decades of progress and claim thousands of lives. On this first International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes, let us honour those lost by investing in disaster resilience.Effective precautions – from regular drills, to stronger building codes, to better urban planning – are key to protecting communities. And international solidarity is vital for response and recovery.Earthquakes are inevitable, but the devastation they cause does not have to be.With intention and forethought, we can build safer towns and cities, however hard the ground shakes.*** 

Secretary-General: The report we launch here today is a landmark step in correcting a longstanding blind spot in measuring progress:

The over-reliance on Gross Domestic Product.

The report and its detailed recommendations are the result of focused work by a High-Level Expert Group.

I convened the Group in response to a clear call by Member States in the Pact for the Future to develop measures of progress that complement or go beyond GDP.

Over the last year, this multidisciplinary Group of academics and policy experts lent their insights and expertise, and consulted with stakeholders around the world.

I thank them for their valuable work.

Excellencies,

GDP is the most widely used metric of economic progress and well-being.

It will continue to be an important measurement. 

But it cannot be the only one.

By design, Gross Domestic Product provides a clear and concise picture of a country’s market-based output.

It is purposefully narrow in scope.

But it is now being used in ways its architects never intended.

We use GDP to judge the long-term success of countries.

Yet we see a huge gap between what GDP measures and what people value.

GDP overlooks human activities that sustain life and contribute to well-being, while failing to fully account for those that harm people and deplete our planet. 

In my time as Secretary-General, the size of the global economy has risen over 50 per cent, adjusting for inflation.

But our world has not seen commensurate improvements in many of the areas that benefit humanity.

Health. Biodiversity. Job-creation. Human rights. Equality.

And even peace — with conflicts now at levels not seen since World War II.

Meanwhile, deforestation, overfishing, and the burning of fossil fuels all are counted in GDP as Madame President of the General Assembly and Madame Co-Facilitator have reminded us.   

We also treat GDP growth rates as a real-time barometer of a society’s health.

But GDP does nothing to capture or predict societal unease, frustration and mistrust in institutions, and whether prosperity is being shared.

In our world of deep inequality, GDP is indifferent to whether income goes to billionaires or to the poor — or if that income goes to addressing hunger, health or deprivation.

And GDP has become our go-to tool for international policy rules.

But it does not effectively distinguish the vulnerabilities, challenges or potential faced by different countries.

We cannot assume that, simply because they have more income today, countries have no need of international assistance, as demonstrated by the Multi-dimensional Vulnerability Index.  

Nor can we assume that the sustainability of a country’s debts can be assessed solely on the basis of what that country earns, ignoring the value of its assets and how its borrowing is being used.  

Excellencies,

These disconnects are especially relevant today.

With the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence, humanity is on the cusp of a technological revolution — [comparable] to the industrial revolution.

AI holds the potential to dramatically boost global growth and productivity.

But it can equally eliminate millions of jobs, and unleash the creation and use of increasingly sophisticated deadly weapons.   
Surely, we should not judge the merit of this technology by its effect on GDP alone.

Excellencies,

Our world needs a more sophisticated, more diverse, and more humane accounting system.

One that consciously aligns metrics with our actual goals — not proxy measures that obscure or hide the challenges our world is facing.

This report builds on decades of pioneering research, country-led initiatives and data development.

The Beyond GDP dashboard we are proposing is built on the vision of sustainable development and its 17 Goals.

While the Goals provide a full articulation of our aspirations for people and planet, the Beyond GDP dashboard provides a practical compass that can be used to guide every-day decisions.

The dashboard comprises a set of specific indicators focused on equitable and sustainable wellbeing in four key areas.

First — indicators around the wellbeing of our people and planet.

Work, health, education and security.

The quality of civic institutions and infrastructure.

And environmental conditions, which sustain the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.

Second — indicators around equity and inclusion.

We can no longer accept inequality, poverty and disparities across population groups and entire regions as facts of life.

Equity is the foundation of social cohesion — and a pillar of peace.

Third — indicators around sustainability and resilience.

Focusing solely on the income we generate today is insufficient.  

We must also find ways to preserve and build on countries’ existing assets and advantages — including nature and knowledge — that can power progress into the future, while addressing existential challenges like climate change.

And fourth— indicators rooted in the foundational principles of peace, human rights and respect for the planet, upon which all progress depends.

These principles are directly derived from the UN Charter.

The arrival of the Beyond GDP agenda at the UN responds to the clear call by Member States to ensure this issue is guided by UN ideals.

And it recognizes that, in our deeply connected world, what happens in one country can influence and affect what happens in another.

This global issue demands the unique global platform the UN provides.

Excellencies,

The next step belongs to Member States.

The intergovernmental process starts now.

Your role is to consider the recommendations in this report, and agree on a plan to establish, refine and institutionalize the dashboard.

Governments, civil society, media, statisticians, businesses and international organizations need to work as one to bring the indicators to life in your countries.

And international financial institutions must take these indicators into account in their decision-making processes.

You can count on the UN’s support every step of the way.

Excellencies,

Today’s report is a clear reminder:

GDP is not enough.

Growth at any cost leaves us all poorer, not richer.

The report is also a call to action.

Let’s count what matters.

Let’s embrace these new metrics that complement GDP, and reveal the full picture of the challenges and opportunities our world faces at this extraordinary moment in history.

Thank you.
***