UN chief says coronavirus outbreak is threatening whole of humanity
The new coronavirus is "menacing the whole of humanity" as it continues its march across the globe, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday while launching a $2 billion plan to combat the pandemic. "The whole of humanity must fight back. Individual country responses are not going to be enough," Guterres said at the UN's New York headquarters.
- World
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 07:02 | 25 March 2020
- Modified Date: 07:02 | 25 March 2020
The coronavirus pandemic is threatening the entire human race, the United Nations warned Wednesday as it launched a humanitarian response plan featuring a $2 billon appeal for the world's poorest people.
"COVID-19 is threatening the whole of humanity -- and the whole of humanity must fight back. Global action and solidarity are crucial. Individual country responses are not going to be enough," Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in announcing the initiative.
Just last week, as the pandemic spread to more and more countries, killing thousands and infecting many more, Guterres warned that unless the world came together to fight the virus, millions of people could die.
"This COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan aims to enable us to fight the virus in the world's poorest countries, and address the needs of the most vulnerable people, especially women and children, older people, and those with disabilities or chronic illness," said Guterres.
"We cannot afford to lose the gains we have made through investments in humanitarian action and in the Sustainable Development Goals," he added.
The amount of money sought by the plan is small compared to the $2 trillion that the US Congress is poised to approve as a rescue effort for devastated American consumers, companies and hospitals as the US economy grinds to a sudden halt.
The UN plan is designed to last from April to December -- suggesting the UN does not see the crisis ending any time soon.
The exact total of $2.012 billion is supposed to come from appeals that various UN agencies have already made, such as the World Health Organization and the World Food Program.
- Turkey's Erdoğan to attend G20 summit via video conference
- 8 PKK terrorists killed in northern Iraq after 2 Turkish soldiers martyred
- Coronvirus death toll in England rises by 28 to 414
- Indians race for supplies as coronavirus lockdown bites
- Biden calls Trump's Easter back-to-business goal 'catastrophic'