The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

The General Assembly paid tribute today to Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who led Oman for nearly half a century and passed away on 10 January at age 79, with Secretary-General António Guterres praising him as a leader who prioritized cooperation and multilateralism, earning the respect of his people and those far beyond.

The United Nations is increasingly concerned about the desert locust outbreak in the Horn of Africa, the worst to hit Ethiopia and Somalia in 25 years and Kenya’s worst infestation in 70 years.  The Secretary-General said in a tweet that the outbreak is making the dire food security situation in the region even worse.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ tribute on the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, in New York today:

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The new Permanent Representative of Oman to the United Nations, Mohamed al Hassan, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Oman from the United Arab Emirates early on Tuesday, 14 February, from Abu Dhabi.