[All-English version; scroll down for bilingual as delivered version]
President of the General Assembly,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
2020 was a global annus horribilis – a year of death, disaster and despair.
The COVID-19 pandemic unleashed havoc in every country and every economy.
We lost 2 million lives, including many dear members of our UN family.
The human toll continues to multiply.
The economic costs continue to mount.
500 million jobs -- gone.