United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 13 September 2026 declared that the rise of multipolarity — vividly on display at the 11-nation BRICS Summit in New Delhi — has made reform of the UN Security Council and the broader multilateral architecture not merely desirable but essential. Speaking directly before leaders representing more than half of humanity, Guterres used what may be his final major platform before the end of his tenure to press a sweeping reform agenda.

The Case for Institutional Reform

Guterres argued that multipolarity could bring “balance to global systems and institutions” and accelerate development — but only if the institutions governing the world catch up with its realities. “As we move irreversibly to a multipolar world, all countries must work to strengthen and safeguard a multilateral system that delivers for all,” he said.

To underscore how outdated the existing architecture is, he invoked the Equal Earth map, recently endorsed by the UN General Assembly. The older Mercator projection, he noted, “had long presented a distorted picture of the world — enlarging some regions and diminishing others.” The new map, he said, “reflects the world more accurately as it is.” His pointed conclusion: “Our institutional structures must do the same.” The Mercator maps had disproportionately enlarged Western nations while shrinking countries of the Global South — a geographic distortion Guterres used as a direct metaphor for institutional imbalance.

Four Pillars Guterres Put Before BRICS Leaders

The Secretary-General outlined four action pillars he described as “essential for shaping inclusive global growth”: finance, technology (including artificial intelligence), climate justice, and peace.

On finance, he called for Multilateral Development Banks to become “bigger, better and bolder,” adopting a new business model to mobilise private investment and expand concessional funding, alongside improved debt-relief mechanisms for developing nations. On AI, his warning was stark: “Its power sits with a few companies, in a few countries.” Left unchecked, he cautioned, the AI divide “will widen every other divide — in income, in opportunity, in security, and in sovereignty.” He acknowledged that BRICS nations “bring talent, ideas and scale” but may lack the computing power and data infrastructure to fully benefit.

Climate Justice and the $300 Billion Pledge

Guterres pressed for renewed climate action, warning that a “supersized El Niño” would “only exacerbate the scorching heat, devastating glacier melt, raging wildfires, and devastating floods the world is now facing as a preview of climate change.” He specified that climate justice requires developed nations to honour their commitment of $300 billion a year to help developing countries manage the climate transition — a pledge that remains contentious and largely unmet.

Peace, Territorial Integrity, and the Unfolding Conflicts

The fourth pillar was peace. Guterres referenced active conflicts spanning the Gulf, Ukraine, and Sudan, stating plainly: “The world needs peace.” He stressed the importance of “international navigational rights and freedoms” and respect for the territorial integrity of all nations — remarks that carry pointed resonance for an audience that includes President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Xi Jinping of China.

Why This Summit Mattered for Guterres

The New Delhi BRICS Summit offered Guterres a rare convergence: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, along with other BRICS heads of state, were all present — a grouping that is collectively unlikely to attend the UN General Assembly’s high-level week later this month. For Guterres, heading into the final quarter of his tenure, the summit represented a last direct opportunity to press the reform agenda he has championed over the past decade. Whether BRICS leaders — whose bloc itself represents an alternative power architecture — will champion UNSC reform remains an open question, given the divergent national interests within the grouping.