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UN / GUTERRES 2024 PRIORITIES PRESSER
STORY: UN / GUTERRES 2024 PRIORITIES PRESSER
TRT: 6:49
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 08 FEBRUARY 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
08 FEBRUARY 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Various shots, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“In the Middle East and around the world, we need peace in every sense. Our world cannot afford to wait.”
4. Various shots, press briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We have institutions that need to be aligned with our times. And we have principles to guide us, that we must preserve in all situations. Respect for the United Nations Charter. Respect for international law and international humanitarian law. Peace with justice that addresses inequalities.”
6. Various shots, press briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We are clear in condemning the horrific attacks of Hamas. We are also clear in condemning the violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza. We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. We need also the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. And we need real, visible, concrete steps towards a two-State solution – based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.”
8. Various shots, press briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“First of all, we fully support the International Court of Justice. We think the International Court of Justice is the right entity to pronounce itself on these issues. We fully support the decisions of the International Court of Justice, and we clearly express that all those decisions must be implemented. And so it is absolutely essential that all the decisions are implemented. And obviously, I have full confidence in the International Court of Justice, to be able to act if those decisions are not properly implemented.”
10. Various shots, press briefing room
11. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“My message to the people of Gaza is a message of total solidarity and total commitment, solidarity with their audible sufferings. Commitment to do everything to mobilize the UN system, to provide the possible assistance we can provide, and at the same time, to go on with a very active global advocacy for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to take place.”
12. Various shots, press briefing room
13. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“So my message to the people of Israel is that I will always be a strong supporter of the right of Israel to live in peace and security. I've always been a committed fighter against anti-Semitism, but I'm also totally committed to work for the Palestinians to be able to have their own State and to have their self-determination recognized and to the end of occupation.”
14. Various shots, press briefing room
15. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We received allegations in relation to 12 names and those allegations were credible. Now if the allegations are credible, you are dealing with high risk. And when we are dealing with high risk and you have rules and regulations that allow you to do so. You, I believe, should do what I did, which was to terminate immediately the contracts based on the so-called best interests of the organization, which is what the rules and regulations allow me to do. At the same time, the investigation team was immediately on the ground, and if I have made any mistake, it can be corrected in the future. But we couldn't run the risk - not to act immediately, as the accusations were related to criminal activities that are really dangerous.”
16. Various shots, press briefing room
17. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“But there are 3000 Gaza staff members that are the backbone of the humanitarian distribution inside Gaza. No other organization has a meaningful presence inside the Gaza. And nothing compares with this situation. So there is no other organization that would be able now to replace [UNRWA] in Gaza occupying that space. On the other hand, and that is important also for donor countries, the costs with UNRWA are much lower than the costs with other agencies for historical reasons. The salaries paid by UNRWA are one third of the salaries paid by UNICEF or WFP or others UN organizations. So any attempt of replacement that is not possible, if it would be possible, it would mean a huge multiplication of the resources needed for humanitarian action.”
18. Various shots, press briefing room
19. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“And so what we are doing is to do the right thing in order to give the guarantees that these countries would like to have. That we are doing everything possible to make sure that UNRWA is an organization that not only is effective, necessary, but it is also able to defend itself against infiltrations that can put into question its neutrality. And we are doing everything in that direction. And in my context, I am hopeful that countries will recognize that efforts and that progressively this problem will be solved. “
20. Various shots, press briefing room
21. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“What is happening is horrible. It needs to be stopped and we need to mobilize the whole of the international community, the neighbors, the countries that have influence on, both parties to do everything possible to stop this horrible atrocities. There is no military solution for Sudan.”
22. Various shots, press briefing room
23. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The biggest frustration I have is not to have the power to end these conflicts we have been discussing, or at least to create the conditions for people to respect international law and international humanitarian law.”
24. Wide shot, press briefing room
Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters, “In the Middle East and around the world, we need peace in every sense. Our world cannot afford to wait.”
Guterres today (08 Feb) spoke to reporters on the world body’s priorities for 2024.
Guterres reiterated that 2024 is a year for focusing on the future and a year for focusing on people’s challenges also today.
The UN Chief said, “we have institutions that need to be aligned with our times. And we have principles to guide us, that we must preserve in all situations. Respect for the United Nations Charter. Respect for international law and international humanitarian law. Peace with justice that addresses inequalities.”
On the peace and security front, Guterres said that it is especially critical to find solutions to two burning conflicts that are having profound global consequences: Ukraine and Gaza.
This month marks the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Secretary-General said, adding that it is essential to work for a just and sustainable peace, but a peace in line with the UN Charter and international law.
And in Gaza, the situation just keeps getting worse, Guterres said, noting that he is particularly worried by reports that the Israeli military intends to focus next on Rafah.
The UN chief reiterated, “We are clear in condemning the horrific attacks of Hamas. We are also clear in condemning the violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.”
“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. We need also the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. And we need real, visible, concrete steps towards a two-State solution – based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements,” Guterres said.
Asked about the ICJ’s decision on South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel, the UN chief said, “First of all, we fully support the International Court of Justice. We think the International Court of Justice is the right entity to pronounce itself on these issues.”
He added, “We fully support the decisions of the International Court of Justice, and we clearly express that all those decisions must be implemented,” adding that he has “full confidence” in the International Court of Justice to be able to act if those decisions are not properly implemented.
Asked about his message to people in Gaza, Guterres reiterated his “total solidarity and total commitment, solidarity with their audible sufferings. Commitment to do everything to mobilize the UN system, to provide the possible assistance we can provide, and at the same time, to go on with a very active global advocacy for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to take place.”
Asked about himself facing criticism in Israel, the UN chief said, “my message to the people of Israel is that I will always be a strong supporter of the right of Israel to live in peace and security. I've always been a committed fighter against anti-Semitism, but I'm also totally committed to work for the Palestinians to be able to have their own State and to have their self-determination recognized and to the end of occupation.”
Asked about the UNRWA staff that was fired after the allegations of having collaborated with Hamas, Guterres said, “We received allegations in relation to 12 names and those allegations were credible. Now if the allegations are credible, you are dealing with high risk. And when we are dealing with high risk, and you have rules and regulations that allow you to do so. You, I believe, should do what I did, which was to terminate immediately the contracts based on the so-called best interests of the organization, which is what the rules and regulations allow me to do.”
At the same time, the UN chief continued, “the investigation team was immediately on the ground, and if I have made any mistake, it can be corrected in the future. But we couldn't run the risk - not to act immediately, as the accusations were related to criminal activities that are really dangerous.”
The Secretary-General also reiterated that there are 3000 Gaza staff members that are the backbone of the humanitarian distribution inside Gaza, adding that no other organization that would be able now to replace UNRWA in Gaza.
“On the other hand, and that is important also for donor countries, the costs with UNRWA are much lower than the costs with other agencies for historical reasons. The salaries paid by UNRWA are one third of the salaries paid by UNICEF or WFP or others UN organizations. So any attempt of replacement that is not possible, if it would be possible, it would mean a huge multiplication of the resources needed for humanitarian action,” Guterres explained.
Asked about resuming funding for UNWRA, the UN chief said, “what we are doing is to do the right thing in order to give the guarantees that these countries would like to have. That we are doing everything possible to make sure that UNRWA is an organization that not only is effective, necessary, but it is also able to defend itself against infiltrations that can put into question its neutrality. “
He is hopeful that countries will recognize the efforts and that the problem will be solved progressively.
Asked about Sudan, Guterres said, “What is happening is horrible. It needs to be stopped and we need to mobilize the whole of the international community, the neighbors, the countries that have influence on, both parties to do everything possible to stop this horrible atrocities.”
He reiterated, “There is no military solution for Sudan.”
Asked about his role as Secretary-General, Guterres said, “The biggest frustration I have is not to have the power to end these conflicts we have been discussing, or at least to create the conditions for people to respect international law and international humanitarian law.”
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