UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday issued a message of hope and healing for the upcoming new year, calling for unity and solidarity when addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change crisis.

"The pandemic rages on, creating new waves of sickness and death. Poverty, inequality and hunger are on the rise, with jobs disappearing, certain sectors struggling to survive, debts mounting and children struggling," said Guterres, reflecting on the year 2020.

According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide have exceeded 81 million, with over 1.7 million fatalities and more than 45 million recoveries.

"But a New Year lies ahead," Guterres added. 

Calling for unity and solidarity, he said both climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are crises that can only be addressed by everyone together – as part of a transition to an inclusive and sustainable future.

"2021 can be a year of healing divisions that were made worse from the deadly infection and broken economies if people work together," he said. 

At the end of his message, he said the best New Year's resolution for 2021 is "healing divisions, and starting to heal the planet."