Secretary-General Warns Ultra Wealthy Calling the Shots on Inequality

Press Release
- Secretary-General
- Statements and Messages
SG/SM/23100

24 April 2026

In Era of Ultra Wealthy ‘Calling the Shots’, World must Confront ‘Injustice of Inequality’, Secretary-General Says in Video Message to Committee

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Founding Committee for an International Panel on Inequality, in Johannesburg, South Africa, today:

I send my warm greetings as you gather in Johannesburg to further discuss a proposed International Panel on Inequality.  I commend South Africa for its leadership in spotlighting the global inequality emergency.

Around the world, inequality is driving so many of today’s crises — eroding trust, deepening polarization and destabilizing economies.

Consider the facts.  The top 1 per cent holds 43 per cent of global financial assets.  And last year alone, the richest 500 individuals added $2.2 trillion to their fortunes.

Increasingly, we see a world where the ultra-wealthiest and the companies they control are calling the shots like never before.  They are wielding outsized influence over economies, information and even the rules that govern us all.

But let’s be clear:  inequality is not only about income or wealth.  It is about power:  who holds it, who is denied it and how it shapes every chance in life.

We face a world in which billions lack the basics, while a few reap extraordinary gains.  A world where unfair global rules trap countries into patterns of vulnerability and dependence.  A world where unequal outcomes today lock in unequal opportunities tomorrow — in education, in healthcare, in every aspect of life.  And emerging technologies are accelerating the divide.

It does not have to be this way.

We can — and we must — confront the injustice of inequality.  It is essential for a future of dignity and sustainability for all.

Thank you for your commitment to that vital mission.

For information media. Not an official record.