UNITED NATIONS - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday warned against criminal exploitation of COVID-19 recovery resources.

In a video message to the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (CoSP9) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, the top UN official warned that countries investing in COVID-19 recovery, "must guard against the diversion of vital resources by criminal opportunists."

Corruption spreads through societies and erodes people's trust in leaders and institutions, Guterres told the anti-corruption conference, stressing that "greed over need, harms us all."

Corruption deepens inequalities, feeds cynicism and reinforces obstacles facing women and girls, according to the UN chief who maintained that tackling it is "an important step towards inclusive, sustainable development."

The secretary-general described the conference as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and accelerate global action against corruption.

"Let us revive hope and restore trust in institutions ... now is the time to act for a safer, more prosperous and just future," added the UN chief.

The session kicked off on Monday in Egypt's resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh. The session will last until Dec 17, with more than 2,000 participants from governments, regional and intergovernmental organizations, civil society, academia, and the private sector taking part virtually and in-person.