NAIROBI / AFRICA CLIMATE SUMMIT GUTERRES PRESSER

STORY: NAIROBI / AFRICA CLIMATE SUMMIT GUTERRES PRESSER
TRT: 2:18
SOURCE: UNIS NAIROBI
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGAUGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 05 SEPTEMBER 2023, NAIROBI, KENYA

SHOTLIST:

1. Zoom in, Guterres walks to his desk
2. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We need an international financial system with an architecture that favours developing countries in general and in particular African countries, and we need a reform of the Security Council in which Africa finally gets at least one permanent seat. We cannot afford a fractured world. We have the tools we need to guide us — the UN Charter, international law and human rights. It’s time to end the injustices that are holding Africa back.”
4. Med shot, Guterres addresses journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Like so many African countries, Kenya is home to enormous opportunities and limitless potential. But achieving this potential requires confronting — and addressing — some deeply rooted challenges and injustices. One of the prime injustices is what brings me to Nairobi today — climate chaos. Africa accounts for just four per cent of global emissions, but it suffers some of the worst effects of climate change.”
6. Med shot, Guterres addresses journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Now is the time to bring together African countries with developed countries, financial institutions and technological companies to create a true African Renewable Energy Alliance. And all of that requires addressing another injustice: an outdated, unfair and dysfunctional global financial system. On average, African countries pay four times more for borrowing than the United States — and eight times more than the wealthiest European countries.”
8. Med shot, Guterres addresses journalists
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Global governance structures reflect the world as it was, not as it is. Global institutions were created in the aftermath of World War II when many African countries were still ruled by colonial powers and not even at the table. We see this injustice playing out in the African context today. Global institutions need to step up, guarantee African representation, and respond to African needs and African potential.”
10. Zoom out, Guterres walks away from his desk

STORYLINE:

Speaking today (5 Set) at a press conference after his speech at the African Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, the Secretary-General, António Guterres, said it was time to end the injustices that are holding the continent back.

Guterres said, “We need an international financial system with an architecture that favours developing countries in general and in particular African countries, and we need a reform of the Security Council in which Africa finally gets at least one permanent seat. We cannot afford a fractured world. We have the tools we need to guide us — the UN Charter, international law and human rights. It’s time to end the injustices that are holding Africa back.”

Highlighting the host country, Kenya, Guterres said the nation “is home to enormous opportunities and limitless potential.”

“But achieving this potential requires confronting — and addressing — some deeply rooted challenges and injustices. One of the prime injustices is what brings me to Nairobi today — climate chaos. Africa accounts for just four per cent of global emissions, but it suffers some of the worst effects of climate change,” explained the UN chief.

According to Guterres, “Now is the time to bring together African countries with developed countries, financial institutions and technological companies to create a true African Renewable Energy Alliance.”

The Secretary-General added, “And all of that requires addressing another injustice: an outdated, unfair and dysfunctional global financial system. On average, African countries pay four times more for borrowing than the United States — and eight times more than the wealthiest European countries.”

Guterres said that “global governance structures reflect the world as it was, not as it is” and these institutions “were created in the aftermath of World War II when many African countries were still ruled by colonial powers and not even at the table.”

The UN chief concluded, “We see this injustice playing out in the African context today. Global institutions need to step up, guarantee African representation, and respond to African needs and African potential.”