United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a formal speech to MEPs on Wednesday, 17.05.2017 at noon.

The UN Secretary-General address the situation in Syria, the refugee crisis and the EU’s key role in implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Parliament’s President Antonio Tajani and Mr Guterres held a joint press conference after the formal sitting.

António Guterres was UN High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015 and Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. He succeeded Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary-General on 1 January 2017.

Antonio Guterres is widely seen as an outspoken and effective advocate for refugees with the potential to strike a radically new tone on human rights at a time of great challenges.