The United Nations secretary-general says at least 21 U.N. staff members died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday along with an undetermined number of people who had worked closely with the world body.
Antonio Guterres spoke at the opening of the annual meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women, which began with hundreds of delegates standing in silent tribute to the 157 victims.
The U.N. Security Council also began its meeting on Afghanistan with diplomats standing in honor of those who perished.
Guterres said that "a global tragedy has hit close to home and the United Nations is united in grief."
He said the U.N. staff members came from all corners of the globe and that "they all had one thing in common - a spirit to serve the people of the world and to make it a better place for us all."
