Remarks by Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, on ‘Joining Forces: Effective Policy Solutions for Covid-19 Response’ – ECOSOC Informal Briefing.
Speaking at the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) informal briefing entitled “Joining Forces: Effective Policy Solutions for Covid-19 Response,” the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, said that, now more than ever, people and countries everywhere rely on the United Nations (UN) to rise to the challenges of this global pandemic.
“Across our set of responses, we have a clear compass,” said the Deputy Secretary-General. “We remain guided by the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development. The Sustainable Development Goals remain central to guiding countries on a sustainable track.”
She added that since the start of this crisis, the UN has mobilized to full capacity through its 131 country teams, to immediately support national authorities in developing public health preparedness, as well as response plans.
The Deputy Secretary-General noted that, going forward, we will need to keep in mind dual imperatives: to respond urgently to stem the impact of the pandemic, while also helping Governments and people respond in a way that recovers better, more resilient, future.
“We are all in it together,” said Mohammed. “But our immediate priority is to address the needs of the most vulnerable countries and communities who risk being left behind. Allocation of our resources will pay close attention to the needs of conflict- and disaster-affected countries, Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.”
