UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Thursday for the Security Council to unite in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it "the fight of a generation -- and the 'raison d'ĂȘtre' of the United Nations itself." "A signal of unity and resolve from the Council would count for a lot at this anxious time," he told the group which was holding its first meeting on the new coronavirus by videoconference. The contents of Guterres' speech was relayed to AFP by diplomats attending the session, which was still ongoing. prh/acb/ec