Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International: Globally, amid escalating threats, the next UN Secretary-General must be a staunch defender of international law

Agnès Callamard,
Secretary General of Amnesty International:

Globally, amid escalating threats, the next UN
Secretary-General must be a staunch defender of international law

18 September 2026
Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International:
The United Nations stands at one of the most perilous junctures since its founding more than eight decades ago.
The world is reeling under the weight of genocide, wars, climate breakdown, rampant inequality, the rise of anti-rights movements, unprecedented levels of corporate power, and an intensifying, reckless and unchecked race to drain resources in pursuit of ever more advanced artificial intelligence systems.

The Security Council remains paralysed, while powerful states continue to undermine the role and effectiveness of the United Nations by subjecting it to intense political, financial and diplomatic pressure.

The next United Nations Secretary-General must be a staunch defender of international law.

They must be prepared to confront the ruthless and authoritarian forces of powerful actors that threaten international institutions.
They must also be ready to resist geopolitical pressure, condemn atrocities regardless of who commits them, and engage meaningfully and constructively with civil society.
Their role must not be limited to managing consensus, nor should their selection be the product of a compromise struck by powerful states behind closed doors. Rather, the next Secretary-General must possess the firm conviction and necessary experience to vigorously and effectively defend human rights and the Charter of the United Nations.

End.