Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Secretary-General/World Health Assembly
– Deputy Secretary-General/Commencement
– ECOSOC
– Syria/Security Council
– Afghanistan
– Félicien Kabuga
– Burundi
– Central African Republic
– COVID-19/Kazakhstan
– COVID-19/Somalia
– International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
– COVID-19/Museums
– COVID-19/Hunger
– Donald Paneth
SECRETARY-GENERAL/WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
The World Health Assembly, bringing together delegations from all the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States, opened a two-day virtual session today.
Speaking at the opening, the Secretary-General said that, despite the enormous scientific and technological advances of recent decades, a microscopic virus has brought us to our knees.
The fragility exposed by the virus is not limited to our health systems, he said, stressing that COVID-19 must be a wake-up call. It is a time for an end to this hubris, he said.
The Secretary-General added that our deep feelings of powerlessness must lead to greater humility.
The Secretary-General reiterated the need for a three-point response. First, he said, there is a need for a WHO-guided large-scale comprehensive health response that emphasizes solidarity towards developing countries.
Second, he said the UN has called for policies to address the devastating social and economic dimensions of the crisis. He underlined that, unless we control the spread of the virus, the economy will never recover.
Third, the Secretary-General said that the recovery from the COVID-19 must lead to more equal, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies that are stronger and more resilient. He also paid tribute to the frontline health workers.
The Secretary-General added that the entire United Nations family stands with our WHO colleagues who are working around the world to support Member States to save lives and protect the vulnerable. The WHO is irreplaceable, he said, calling for enhanced resources to support developing countries.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/ COMMENCEMENT
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, gave a virtual address to the commencement ceremony yesterday for the Fletcher School at Tufts University in Massachusetts. She said that the graduation is virtual because our lives have become virtual – we are living them online.
The COVID-19 pandemic has stripped everything back to the bare essentials, Ms Mohammed said. And the new normal means finding ways to be together and to keep our spirits high. She said that the COVID-19 pandemic is causing enormous suffering, and the measures to contain and overcome it are testing societies to the breaking point.
The Deputy Secretary-General said that our response must match the scale of the crisis, and must be based on unity and solidarity, with the United Nations at its forefront.
Business as usual is over, she told the graduates, and the status quo is over. The question is: what will replace it? And that, above all, is up to you, she told them.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=18%20May%202020