UN Insider

Photo: WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) and Australian PM Scott Morrison (right) who is spearheading an international enquiry into China's lack of transparency and the WHO's mistakes in regard to COVID-19. A collage of pictures from Wikimedia Commons and Spotlght Nepal.

COVID-19: This Is No Time to Start A Coronavirus Blame Game

Viewpoint by John McCarthy *

MELBOURNE (IDN) – Australia's decision to spearhead an international enquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic — read China's lack of transparency and the WHO's mistakes — is a nice hoary bellow from the domestic political ramparts, but it is a policy mistake.

The Australian opposition's support for the decision does not bathe the policy in divine light. It merely doubles the weight of the mistake.

Whichever country had decided to initiate such a policy, it would have been a bad idea.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 26 April 2020

Image credit: UN Economic Cooperation for Africa

COVID-19: Should You Believe What ECA Is Saying About Africa?

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene *

ABUJA, Nigeria (IDN) – In one of his bestsellers, The Zahir, Paulo Coelho said there are two major problems in life: knowing when to begin and knowing when to stop.

If, for example, Nigeria had closed its borders early on and enforced quarantine for all returning Nigerians, whoever they are, things might have been different today. I’m sure many others would say the same for their own countries as well.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Africa; 24 April 2020

Photo: Flags of member states flying at United Nations Headquarters. As the most representative international organization and the utmost expression of multilateralism, the United Nations is the main instrument to address multifaceted and complex global challenges through collective action. © UN Photo/Mark Garten

UN Chief Highlights the Virtues of Multilateralism & Diplomacy

By Santo D. Banerjee

NEW YORK (IDN) – "The COVID-19 pandemic is a tragic reminder of how deeply connected we are. The virus knows no borders and is a quintessential global challenge. Combatting it requires us to work together as one human family," says UN Secretary-General António Guterres on International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace on April 24.

The Day was established on December 12, 2018 through resolution A/RES/73/127 and was first observed on April 24, 2019.

: Santo D. Banerjee; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 23 April 2020

Image credit: Independent Online (IOL), South Afruca.

New Initiative to Fight COVID-19 with Information Technology

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – With support from UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations specialized agency for information ((ITU) are set to work with telecommunication companies to text people directly on their mobile phones with vital health messaging to help protect them from COVID-19.

These text messages, as part of the joint 'WHO-ITU Be initiative', will reach billions of people who are not in a position to connect to the internet for information, said a joint statement on April 20.

: J Nastranis; UN INSIDER; 21 April 2020

Photo: Onset of COVID-19 pandemic boosts support for international cooperation Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th session of the General Assembly, closes the annual General Debate on 30 September 2019. Credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak

Redefining Cooperation, Development and Prosperity

Reflections on the International Day of Multilateralism

Viewpoint by Dumiso Gatsha

The writer is a human rights defender, feminist and part-time PhD (Law) candidate.

GABARONE, Botswana (IDN) – 75 years of cooperation, mutual engagement and improving lives. Heralding the decade of action, 2020 has brought many challenges and opportunities for relooking how the systems we live in can be improved for the better. April 24 marks a day for us to deeply reflect, within our homes or essential service work; on what truly matters in humanity.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 21 April 2020

Photo: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) and WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo (right). Credit: WHO/WTO

Good Health and Unimpeded Global Trade Go Hand in Hand

Viewpoint by Roberto Azevêdo and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Following is the text of a joint statement by WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on April 20.

GENEVA (IDN) – COVID-19 has rapidly progressed to become a global pandemic, causing unprecedented, far-reaching impact on the health, social and economic well-being of communities around the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) are committed to responding effectively to the situation, working together with other international organizations and our respective memberships.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 20 April 2020

Photo: Vienna Hofburg, the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty rulers; which and today serves as the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. It is located in the center of Vienna and was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. Credit: Robert Fischer, Pixabay

Proposal to Convene NPT Review Conference in January 2021

Why Peaceful Vienna Is More Suitable than Toxic New York

Viewpoint by Tariq Rauf *

VIENNA, (IDN) – In my previous posts on IDN InDepthNews, Update: Postponed 2020 NPT Review Conference, Challenge for the NAM: Move the NPT Review Conference to 2021 in Vienna, and Postpone the NPT Review Conference to 2021 and Convene in Vienna, I had provided information and perspectives on the Review Conference of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty scheduled at the United Nations in New York from 27 April to 22 May that had to be postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 20 April 2020

Photo: A lone passenger rides an escalator on the New York City subway at one of the network's busiest stations. The city's tourist industry is likely to be decimated by COVID-19 for the rest of 2020. United Nations/Katya Pugacheva

UN Travel Organization Predicts Revival of Holiday Traffic

By Ronald Joshua

ROME | MADRID (IDN) – Tourism has been brought to a near-standstill by COVID-19, but the World Travel Organization (UNWTO) believes that once the pandemic has passed, the industry, which accounts for 10 per cent of global GDP, is in a unique position to help put the global economy back on its feet.

UNWTO is closely monitoring the new coronavirus crisis from its Madrid headquarters and collaborating with other UN agencies in finding ways to mitigate its impact.

: Ronald Joshua; UN INSIDER; 18 April 2020

UN Institute Expects COVID-19 Fallout to Push Half a Billion People into Poverty

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – New research published by the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) warns that the economic fallout from the global pandemic could increase global poverty by as much as half a billion people, or 8% of the total human population. This would be the first time that poverty has increased globally in thirty years, since 1990.

The authors of the UNU-WIDER study – Andy Sumner and Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez of King’s College London and Chris Hoy from Australian National University – find that a setback of this size would reverse a decade of global progress on poverty reduction.

: J Nastranis; SUSTAINABILITY; Poverty; 17 April 2020

WHO Cautions Against Relaxing Lockdown Measures in Europe

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a potential "second wave" of COVID-19 infections. The warning comes as some European countries have begun to relax lockdown measures following weeks of confinement introduced to halt the spread of the new coronavirus. In an update to strategic advice to Governments, the UN health agency called for greater support for health services.