STORY: UN chief highlights need to reform int'l institutions
DATELINE: July 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:25
LOCATION: UN Headquarters
CATEGORY: POLITICS
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of conference room
2. various of footage of Nelson Mandela
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
4. various of conference room
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
6. various of conference room
 
STORYLINE:
 
International institutions, which are unfair and outdated, need fundamental reform, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.
 
He made the remarks at a General Assembly meeting to observe the Nelson Mandela International Day, which falls on July 18.
 
Calling Mandela "a colossus of courage and conviction," Guterres said the best way to honor the former South African president is through action.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
"How do we pay tribute to such a giant? Through words of respect, certainly. But we best honor Madiba through action: Action to expel the poison of racism, discrimination and hate. Action to extinguish the legacies of colonialism. Action to promote equality, human rights, and above all, justice."
 
The need to bridge the global justice gap is more urgent than ever, the UN chief said.
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
"Our unfair and outdated international financial system is not fulfilling its function as a global safety net. We must recognize that there is an injustice at the heart of that system, an injustice that is rooted in the times of colonialism."
 
The UN Security Council, the Bretton Woods system, and other international organizations, reflect the world of 1945, when many African countries were still part of European empires, he added.
 
"Ultimately, we need fundamental reform of our international institutions," Guterres stressed.
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from UN Headquarters.
(XHTV)