The Secretary-General's UN COVID-19 and Recovery Fund

"We will overcome this human crises and recover better"

The United Nations' Secretary General António Guterres released a plan to recover the world from COVID-19. In his detailed proposal, the UNSG emphasized the need for a multilateral effort led by the World Health Organization, whose appeals must be met. He also stressed the importance of promoting scientific collaboration in the search for a vaccine and administering therapeutics through initiatives such as the WHO- sponsored solidarity trials.

In this plan, the UNSG talked about ways to suppress transmission to stop the pandemic and save lives, the social economic and multidimensional effects, the effects on people and the devastating impact on the formal and informal economy, and the implications for the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. He also urged the cooperation of political leaderships in the world to come together in finding sustainable solutions to cope with the impact.

Partnerships, both private and public between local and national authorities, is needed to match the magnitude of the crises. The UNSG outlined the need for governments to respond rapidly with the needed health and socioeconomic measures and effective dialogue and coordination between local and national authorities. Women and youth will be key to these dialogues at local levels. If well administrated, local governments have significant power to catalyse and lead preparedness, rapid response and expect recovery policy actions for urban and rural populations.

Major national and international research funders and philanthropic organizations should support the networking of these organizations to generate a reliable global research base to inform cooperative action at the international level. Civil societies, grassroots organizations, community-based organizations (CBOs) and Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) play a vital role at the local level by assisting the most vulnerable populations. These groups are active in bringing economic and livelihood opportunities and adapting responses to the community context as they serve as the first, or only, point of reference for individuals and families.

The Secretary-General urged for national solidarity to ensure that no one- especially the women, children, and vulnerable populations do not get left behind.

See the original statement here.