UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed strong concern about geopolitical divisions and called on the world's political and business leaders to cooperate on resolving them.

The UN chief delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. This year's meeting is held under the theme, "Cooperation in a Fragmented World."

Guterres said, "We face the gravest levels of geopolitical division and mistrust in generations, and it is undermining everything."

After citing the rift between the United States and China, he voiced concern about the division between developed countries and emerging and developing nations collectively called the Global South.

He said he is not convinced that the wealthier world and its leaders truly grasp "the degree of frustration and even anger in the Global South."

Toward the end of his speech, Guterres said, "We need private-sector resourcefulness and cooperation to be able to advance in our common objectives of peace, sustainable development and human rights."

He said, "Now more than ever, it's time to forge the pathways to cooperation in our fragmented world."