World leaders to send videos instead of traveling to U.N. in September

FILE PHOTO: Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour addresses the United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., September 24, 2016. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - World leaders will send videos instead of physically gathering at the United Nations in September due to the coronavirus pandemic, the General Assembly decided on Wednesday, a move that paves the way for people wary of traveling to the United States - like North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un - to participate.

The annual high-level meeting had been shaping up to be a week-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the world body, but U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres suggested in May that leaders send video statements due to likely travel issues.