Guterres urges ceasefires and funding as Sudan, DRC, Sahel and Gaza face crises

Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, told African Union leaders that several regions in Africa and the wider Middle East face acute humanitarian and security crises and urged immediate action to halt violence and to secure predictable funding for stabilization missions.

"Sudan is being torn apart before our eyes and is now home to the world's largest displacement crisis and famine," Guterres said, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities as the holy month of Ramadan approached and urging the international community to stop the flow of weapons.

He warned that fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the M23 offensive in South Kivu, risks regional escalation and urged respect for the DRC's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Regional escalation must be avoided at all costs. There is no military solution," he said, and called for swift implementation of the Luanda and Nairobi processes.

Guterres said the United Nations will continue to support MONUSCO in the DRC. He also highlighted the threat of terrorism in the Sahel and urged predictable funding for the African Union support and stabilization mission in Somalia.

On the Israel-Palestine conflict, he welcomed efforts to abide by a ceasefire agreement and urged action toward "a permanent ceasefire and release of all hostages," saying "the Palestinian people have suffered too much" and reiterating that a two-state solution is necessary for lasting peace.

The secretary-general framed these calls as part of a broader push to advance security, stability, human rights and the rule of law in African states and neighboring regions.