UN chief urges world to unite in the face of ‘ epochal’ health crisis
THE UNITED NATION’S SecretaryGeneral has warned the organisation’s first virtual meeting of global leaders that the world is facing an “epochal” health crisis and the biggest economic calamity since the Great Depression.
In a grim state of the world speech to the UN General Assembly’s annual high- level meeting, Secretary- General Antonio Guterres said coronavirus had “brought the world to its knees”, but added the crisis was just “a dress rehearsal for the world of challenges to come”. He also warned of threats to human rights and fears of a new Cold War between the USA and China.
He called for global unity, first and foremost to fight the pandemic, and sharply criticised populism and nationalism for failing to contain the virus and for often making the situation worse.
Days after the pandemic shut down large parts of the world in March, Mr Guterres called for a global ceasefire to tackle it.
He appealed yesterday for a 100- day push by the international community, led by the Security Council, “to make this a reality by the end of the year”.
“There is only one winner of conflict during a pandemic – the virus itself,” he said.
Reiterating a warning he made to world leaders a year ago about increasing US- China rivalry, he said: “We are moving in a very dangerous direction.
“Our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies split the globe in a Great
Fracture – each with its own trade and financial rules and internet and artificial intelligence capacities.”
He added: “A technological and economic divide risks inevitably turning into a geo- strategic and military divide. We must avoid this at all costs.”
The UN chief delivered his speechinthevastGeneralAssembly Hall, where only one maskwearing diplomat from each of the organisation’s 193 member nations was allowed, spread out in the chamber to ensure social distancing was adhered to.
“In a world turned upside down, this General Assembly Hall is among the strangest sights of all,” Mr Guterres said.
“The Covid- 19 pandemic has changed our annual meeting beyond recognition. But it has made it more important than ever.”
Latest figures have shown that nearly 972,000 people have died so far from the coronavirus outbreak.
There are currently more than 31.6 million confirmed cases in 213 countries and territories.
We are moving in a very dangerous direction. Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary- General.