UN: Sec-Gen Guterres warns of 'unimaginable devastation and suffering' as result of COVID-19

W/S UN conference room, New York City
SOT, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General:
"Unless we act now, the COVID-19 pandemic will cause unimaginable devastation and suffering around the world: Hunger and famine of historic proportions. Sixty million more people pushed into extreme poverty. Up to half the global workforce - 1.6 billion people - without livelihoods. A loss of 8.5 trillion USD in global output - the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression of the 1930s. We must avoid it. The pandemic has demonstrated our fragility. Despite all the technological and scientific advances of recent decades, we are in an unprecedented human crisis, because of a microscopic virus. We need to respond with unity and solidarity."
W/S UN conference room
SOT, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General: "COVID-19 has exposed and is exacerbating deep inequalities and injustices that we must tackle- including gender inequality. The economic impacts are worse for women, who typically have fewer savings and lower incomes than men. All our efforts must go towards building sustainable and resilient pathways that enable us not only to beat COVID-19, but to tackle the climate crisis, reduce inequality and eradicate poverty and hunger."
W/S UN conference room
SOT, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General:
"These are challenging and dangerous times. We must face them with all urgency, seriousness and responsibility. Getting through COVID-19 and recovering better will cost money. But the alternative will cost far more. This is a global crisis, and it's up to all of us to solve it. Let's do it together, and I thank you."
W/S UN conference room
SOT, Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada:
"This is our chance to begin a conversation on how we can emerge from this truly global crisis as a stronger and more cohesive world. One that creates wealth for everyone, addresses inequality, and cares for the most vulnerable. Over the coming most we will all be working together in different workstreams to bring forward ambitious but pragmatic solutions. Canada is ready to do our part as we help bring the world together in the fight against COVID-19. COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge for our modern world, but it is also a unique opportunity to build a better future, to create a safe and prosperous world and an international system that recognizes who is left behind and strives to lift them up."
W/S UN conference room
SOT, Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica:
"This pandemic is a wake-up call for international community to reinvigorate a comprehensive system of global economic governance, one that can cope with the global disruptions while promoting inclusive development. Without such a strategic and decisive response amidst declining economic growth and increasing uncertainty, the social and economic fallout could persist."
W/S UN conference room
SCRIPT
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned about possible devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, speaking at a high-level meeting in the UN headquarters in New York City on Thursday.
"Unless we act now, the COVID-19 pandemic will cause unimaginable devastation and suffering around the world: Hunger and famine of historic proportions. Sixty million more people pushed into extreme poverty. Up to half the global workforce - 1.6 billion people - without livelihoods," stressed Guterres.
He added that the efforts should be concentrated on "building sustainable and resilient pathways that enable us not only to beat COVID-19, but to tackle the climate crisis, reduce inequality and eradicate poverty and hunger."
According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, there are 5,803,416 cases of the coronavirus in the world so far, with 359,791 deaths related to it.
Mandatory credit: UNTV