The full, unedited text of the remarks given by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Feb. 28 at UN Headquarters in New York are provided below. The speech can be viewed here.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media,
I want to start by expressing my deep concern about information received in the last 48 hours by UN agencies — as well as many humanitarian and development NGOs — regarding severe cuts in funding by the United States.
These cuts impact a wide range of critical programmes.
From lifesaving humanitarian aid, to support for vulnerable communities recovering from war or natural disaster.
From development, to the fight against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking.
The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world.
In Afghanistan, more than 9 million people will miss out on health and protection services, with hundreds of mobile health teams and other services suspended.
In north-east Syria, where 2.5 million people need assistance, the absence of US funding means programmes are leaving large populations even more vulnerable.
In Ukraine, cash-based programming — a key feature of the humanitarian response, reaching 1 million people in 2024 — has been suspended in key regions.
In South Sudan, funding has run out for programmes to support people who have fled the conflict in neighbouring Sudan, leaving border areas dangerously overcrowded.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime will be forced to stop many of its counter-narcotics programmes, including the one fighting the fentanyl crisis, and dramatically reduce activities against human trafficking.
And funding for many programmes combatting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera have stopped.
We have been extremely grateful for the leading role the United States has provided over the decades.
For example, thanks to the generosity of donors — led by the United States — the UN assists and protects more than 100 million people every year through our humanitarian programming.
From Gaza to Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine and beyond.
American funding directly supports people living through wars, famines and disasters, providing essential health care, shelter, water, food and education — the list goes on.
The message is clear.
The generosity and compassion of the American people have not only saved lives, built peace and improved the state of the world.
They have contributed to the stability and prosperity that Americans depend on.
United Nations staff members around the world are deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together — as partners.
Now going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe and less prosperous.
The reduction of America’s humanitarian role and influence will run counter to American interests globally.
I can only hope that these decisions can be reversed based on more careful reviews, and the same applies to other countries that have recently announced reductions in humanitarian and development aid.
In the meantime, every United Nations agency stands ready to provide the necessary information and justification for its projects.
And we look forward to working with the United States in this regard.
All humanitarian coordinators in the field are urgently updating strategies on how to protect as much lifesaving work as possible.
The Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which brings together UN humanitarian agencies and our partners, has agreed on an ambitious plan for efficiency and prioritization.
Our absolute priority remains clear.
We will do everything we can to provide life-saving aid to those in urgent need.
And we will continue our efforts to diversify the pool of generous donors who support our work.
We remain committed to making the global humanitarian effort as efficient, accountable and innovative as possible while continuing to save lives.
Additional remarks unrelated to the termination of funding follow.