Virtual Press Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
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In a new policy brief, titled “COVID-19 and the need for action on mental health”, the Secretary-General presents a series of recommendations to ensure that mental health services are fully included in pandemic response and recovery plans.
More than 140 current and former world leaders, as well as Nobel laureates, UN officials and experts, have signed an open letter calling on all governments to unite behind a so-called people’s vaccine against COVID-19.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) today said that the current crisis has exposed devastating gaps in social protection coverage in developing countries.
In other items from around the world, this morning, Martin Griffiths, the Special Envoy for Yemen, briefed Security Council members on the situation in that country. Speaking by video, he recalled that he had shared draft agreements with the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah at the end of March on a nation-wide ceasefire; humanitarian and economic measures; and the urgent resumption of the political process.
In Libya, fighting continues in and around Tripoli, despite repeated calls for a cessation of hostilities to allow national authorities to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our colleagues in peacekeeping tell us that the African Union-UN mission in Darfur continues to patrol camps for internally displaced people while following safety protocols for the COVID-19 virus, including social distancing.
In Myanmar, the UN team there and our partners are supporting the Government to ensure the safety of frontline healthcare workers.
In neighboring Thailand, which has more than 3,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 56 reported deaths, the UN team, led by the Resident Coordinator, Gita Sabharwal, is working with the Government to address the impacts of the pandemic and is focusing on the most vulnerable groups.
Turning to Ghana, which has more than 5,400 confirmed cases and 24 deaths, the UN team is addressing the impacts of the pandemic on youth, with a focus on unemployment, sexual and gender-based violence and limited access to health.
WHO's Regional Director for Africa said that she was made aware yesterday of the decision by the Government of Burundi, which has asked the WHO Representative and three other people, one of whom is a consultant, to leave the country immediately.
In the Philippines, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that Typhoon Vongfong made landfall today in the Eastern Samar Province.
I was asked before the briefing about the latest developments in Lesotho, and I can say that the Secretary-General takes note of the termination of the coalition government in the Kingdom of Lesotho in a consensual decision of the National Assembly.
To protect indigenous populations in the Amazon, various UN agencies, including UNHCR, the UN Migration Agency and the UN Population Fund, are providing hygiene kits, shelter, access to medical facilities and health care, and food to indigenous communities in the region to help them in the context of the pandemic.
Yesterday, Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, spoke at a virtual meeting of the Stockholm Forum. The topic was “Sustaining Peace in the Time of COVID-19.”
Our list of Member States which have paid their regular budget dues in full has gone up to 91 members, thanks to Slovenia.
For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General
More than 140 current and former world leaders, as well as Nobel laureates, UN officials and experts, have signed an open letter calling on all governments to unite behind a so-called people’s vaccine against COVID-19.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) today said that the current crisis has exposed devastating gaps in social protection coverage in developing countries.
In other items from around the world, this morning, Martin Griffiths, the Special Envoy for Yemen, briefed Security Council members on the situation in that country. Speaking by video, he recalled that he had shared draft agreements with the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah at the end of March on a nation-wide ceasefire; humanitarian and economic measures; and the urgent resumption of the political process.
In Libya, fighting continues in and around Tripoli, despite repeated calls for a cessation of hostilities to allow national authorities to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our colleagues in peacekeeping tell us that the African Union-UN mission in Darfur continues to patrol camps for internally displaced people while following safety protocols for the COVID-19 virus, including social distancing.
In Myanmar, the UN team there and our partners are supporting the Government to ensure the safety of frontline healthcare workers.
In neighboring Thailand, which has more than 3,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 56 reported deaths, the UN team, led by the Resident Coordinator, Gita Sabharwal, is working with the Government to address the impacts of the pandemic and is focusing on the most vulnerable groups.
Turning to Ghana, which has more than 5,400 confirmed cases and 24 deaths, the UN team is addressing the impacts of the pandemic on youth, with a focus on unemployment, sexual and gender-based violence and limited access to health.
WHO's Regional Director for Africa said that she was made aware yesterday of the decision by the Government of Burundi, which has asked the WHO Representative and three other people, one of whom is a consultant, to leave the country immediately.
In the Philippines, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that Typhoon Vongfong made landfall today in the Eastern Samar Province.
I was asked before the briefing about the latest developments in Lesotho, and I can say that the Secretary-General takes note of the termination of the coalition government in the Kingdom of Lesotho in a consensual decision of the National Assembly.
To protect indigenous populations in the Amazon, various UN agencies, including UNHCR, the UN Migration Agency and the UN Population Fund, are providing hygiene kits, shelter, access to medical facilities and health care, and food to indigenous communities in the region to help them in the context of the pandemic.
Yesterday, Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, spoke at a virtual meeting of the Stockholm Forum. The topic was “Sustaining Peace in the Time of COVID-19.”
Our list of Member States which have paid their regular budget dues in full has gone up to 91 members, thanks to Slovenia.
For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General
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Topical Subjects
Personal Subjects
Geographic Subjects
Asset ID
2545065