United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has warned that the growing number of global conflicts, increasing impunity and the rapid spread of emerging technologies are significantly raising the risk of mass atrocities.
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He urged the international community to act "before warning signs become mass graves."
Global conflicts becoming more dangerous
Addressing the UN General Assembly's meeting on the 'Responsibility to Protect', Guterres said the world witnessed more than 120 conflicts in 2025, many of which have become increasingly prolonged, complex and interconnected.
"We see widespread violations of international law and a growing sense of impunity," Guterres said, stressing that the global commitment to the Responsibility to Protect is now "more vital than ever."
'Warning signs are being ignored'
The UN chief cautioned that governments often fail to respond in time to early warning signs, allowing crises to escalate into genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
"Too often, early warning signs are ignored. And responses are often too little, too late," he said.
Guterres urged countries to intervene before situations spiral into humanitarian disasters.
Call for collective global action
Recalling the Responsibility to Protect commitment adopted by world leaders 21 years ago, Guterres said every nation bears the primary responsibility of safeguarding its population.
He added that when national authorities fail to protect their citizens, UN member states must take collective, timely and decisive action in line with the UN Charter.
Push to strengthen international commitments
Guterres also called on member states to strengthen implementation of international legal instruments, including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and ensure atrocity prevention becomes a permanent global practice.
"Let's ensure that atrocity prevention and protecting populations becomes a permanent and universal practice everywhere," Guterres said.
