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STORY: UNGA79 / OPENING
TRT: 05:04
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / FRENCH / SPANISH / NATS
DATELINE: 24 SEPTEMBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY
1. Various shots, journalists, United Nations Headquarters with UNGA signage
2. Wide shot, the General Assembly Hall
3. Closeup, Philemon Yang, President, General Assembly strikes the gavel
4. Wide shot, the General Assembly Hall, Secretary General walking up to the podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“2024 is the year that half of humanity goes to the polls – and all of humanity will be affected.
I stand before you in this whirlwind convinced of two overriding truths. First, the state of our world is unsustainable. We can’t go on like this. And second, the challenges we face are solvable. But that requires us to make sure the mechanisms of international problem-solving
actually solve problems.”
4. Wide shot, delegates
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The war in Ukraine is spreading with no signs of letting up. Civilians are paying the price – in rising death tolls and shattered lives and communities.”
6. Wide shot, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Let’s be clear. Nothing can justify the abhorrent acts of terror committed by Hamas on October
7th, or the taking of hostages – both of which I have repeatedly condemned. And nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
8. Med shot, State of Palestine delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The speed and scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza are unlike anything in my years as Secretary-General. More than 200 of our own staff have been killed, many with their families.
And yet the women and men of the United Nations continue to deliver. I know you join me in paying a special tribute to UNRWA and all humanitarians in Gaza.”
10. Wide shot, the General Assembly Hall
11. SOUNDBITE (French) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Ladies and gentlemen, the increase in inequalities is a second factor of unsustainability and a stain on our collective conscience. Inequality is not a technical or bureaucratic issue. Fundamentally, inequality is a matter of power with historical roots.”
12. Closeup, Danny Danon, Israeli Ambassador
13. SOUNDBITE (French) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Gender inequality is still fully evident today in this chamber. Less than 10 percent of the speakers in this week's General Debate are women. This is unacceptable.”
14. Med shot, Sudanese delegation
15. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“I have no illusions about the barriers to reforming the multilateral system. Those who hold political and economic power, and those who believe they do, are always reluctant to change. But the status quo is already exhausting its power. Without reforms, fragmentation is inevitable, and global institutions will lose legitimacy, credibility, and effectiveness.”
16. Closeup, Myanmar delegate
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Philemon Yang, President, General Assembly:
“Africa is one of the priorities of the UN. We must support Africa. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 presents a bold and transformative vision for the continent. Africa currently has the youngest population in the world. And by 2063 one in four people will be African. The generation of resources for the wellbeing of these peoples has been much slower than the population growth
18. Wide shot, delegates
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Philemon Yang, President, General Assembly:
“Here today are representatives from 193 Member States, each embodying our collective aspirations, each guided by shared vision. The path ahead is difficult, flawed with obstacles that at times seem insurmountable, but they are not impossible. We have the tools, the knowledge and the collective will to overcome these challenges if we act together with courage and conviction.”
The 79th High Level debate of the United Nations General Assembly opened today (24 Sep) with urgent calls for action, as Secretary-General António Guterres addressed world leaders on the need for change, saying, “2024 is the year that half of humanity goes to the polls – and all of humanity will be affected.”
In his remarks, Guterres said, “I stand before you in this whirlwind convinced of two overriding truths. First, the state of our world is unsustainable. We can’t go on like this. And second, the challenges we face are solvable. But that requires us to make sure the mechanisms of international problem-solving actually solve problems.”
Addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Secretary-General said, “the war in Ukraine is spreading with no signs of letting up. Civilians are paying the price – in rising death tolls and shattered lives and communities.”
Turning to the situation in Gaza, Guterres said, “Let’s be clear. Nothing can justify the abhorrent acts of terror committed by Hamas on October 7th, or the taking of hostages – both of which I have repeatedly condemned. And nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.” He also paid tribute to humanitarian workers, noting, “the speed and scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza are unlike anything in my years as Secretary-General. More than 200 of our own staff have been killed, many with their families. And yet the women and men of the United Nations continue to deliver.”
In his address Guterres drew attention to the widening gap in global inequality and condemned gender inequality within the Assembly itself, noting, “Less than 10 percent of the speakers in this week's General Debate are women. This is unacceptable.”
The Secretary-General called for reform of the multilateral system, saying, “I have no illusions about the barriers to reforming the multilateral system. Those who hold political and economic power, and those who believe they do, are always reluctant to change. But the status quo is already exhausting its power. Without reforms, fragmentation is inevitable, and global institutions will lose legitimacy, credibility, and effectiveness.”
Also at the opening session, Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly, echoed Guterres' sentiments on the need to address Africa's development challenges. Yang said, “Africa is one of the priorities of the UN. We must support Africa. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 presents a bold and transformative vision for the continent. Africa currently has the youngest population in the world. And by 2063 one in four people will be African.”
Closing his address, Yang reminded the Assembly of the importance of unity, saying, “here today are representatives from 193 Member States, each embodying our collective aspirations, each guided by shared vision. The path ahead is difficult, flawed with obstacles that at times seem insurmountable, but they are not impossible. We have the tools, the knowledge, and the collective will to overcome these challenges if we act together with courage and conviction.”
The 79th UNGA session continues this week, with world leaders set to address the Assembly on a wide range of pressing global issues.
