GA / KENYA RUTO

STORY: GA / KENYA RUTO
TRT: 1:47
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 21 SEPTEMBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot, exterior UN Headquarters
2. Wide shot, General Assembly
3. SOUNDBITE (English) William Samoei Ruto, President, Kenya:
“If any confirmation was ever needed that the United Nations Security Council is dysfunctional, undemocratic, non-inclusive, un-representative and therefore incapable of delivering meaningful progress in our world as presently constituted, the rampant impunity of certain actors on the global scene settles the matter.”
4. Wide shot, Ruto addresses the General Assembly
5. SOUNDBITE (English) William Samoei Ruto, President, Kenya:
“We urge the United Nations to urgently deliver an appropriate framework to facilitate the deployment of Multinational Security Support as part of a holistic response to Haiti's challenges. We call on the Security Council to contribute positively by approving a resolution under Chapter Seven that tailors the security support mission to the specific needs of Haiti and its people.”
6. Wide shot, Ruto addresses the General Assembly
7. SOUNDBITE (English) William Samoei Ruto, President, Kenya:
“The global community must therefore develop a debt restructuring initiative that does not wait for nations to plunge over the cliff before providing relief. Rather, the new sovereign debt architecture should extend the tenor of sovereign debt and provide a 10-year grace period for countries that are in debt distress.”
8. Med shot, Kenya delegation applauds

STORYLINE:

Calling for a reform of the Security Council, the President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto, called the institution “dysfunctional, undemocratic, non-inclusive, un-representative”.

Addressing the General Assembly today (21 Sep) during the High-level week, Ruto said, “If any confirmation was ever needed that the United Nations Security Council is dysfunctional, undemocratic, non-inclusive, un-representative and therefore incapable of delivering meaningful progress in our world as presently constituted, the rampant impunity of certain actors on the global scene settles the matter.”

The Head of State also highlighted the situation in Haiti, saying, “We urge the United Nations to urgently deliver an appropriate framework to facilitate the deployment of Multinational Security Support as part of a holistic response to Haiti's challenges. We call on the Security Council to contribute positively by approving a resolution under Chapter Seven that tailors the security support mission to the specific needs of Haiti and its people.”

Ruto ask for a reform of the international finance institutions, noting that, according to the IMF, as of last month, 10 low-income countries were in debt distress, and 52 are at high and moderate risk of falling into distress.

The Kenyan President said, “The global community must therefore develop a debt restructuring initiative that does not wait for nations to plunge over the cliff before providing relief. Rather, the new sovereign debt architecture should extend the tenor of sovereign debt and provide a 10-year grace period for countries that are in debt distress.”