April 03, 2020 No comments
UN chief urges unity in mobilizing ‘every ounce of energy’ to defeat coronavirus pandemic
INTERNATIONAL, 3 April 2020, Health - There should be only one fight in our world today, the United Nations Secretary-General said on Friday, issuing a loud clarion call to join “our shared battle against COVID-19”. Ten days ago, António Guterres called for an immediate global ceasefire to help people in war-torn regions receive life-saving aid to fight the coronavirus pandemic. “We know the pandemic is having profound social, economic and political consequences, including relating to international peace and security”, the UN chief said, in a virtual press conference outlining the impact so far of the ceasefire appeal. He cited sustained restrictions on movement by governments everywhere, and factors that could contribute to rising discontent and political tensions, but maintained that “the global ceasefire appeal is resonating across the world”. He...
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April 03, 2020 No comments
COVID-19: The global food supply chain is holding up, for now
INTERNATIONAL, 3 April 2020, Peace and Security - The unfolding COVID-19 pandemic is so far having little impact on the global food supply chain, but that could change for the worse – and soon – if anxiety-driven panic by major food importers takes hold, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday. In a new report, “COVID-19: Potential impact on the world’s poorest people: A WFP analysis of the economic and food security implications of the pandemic”, the UN agency said that global markets for basic cereals are well-supplied and prices generally low. However, it said, given the highly globalized nature of food production and supply, commodities need to move from the world’s ‘breadbaskets’ to where they are consumed – and COVID-19-related containment measures are starting to make...
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April 03, 2020 No comments
Political prisoners should be among first released in pandemic response, says UN rights chief
INTERNATIONAL, 3 April 2020, Human Rights - The decision by many Governments to release prisoners to slow the transmission of new coronavirus, was welcomed on Friday by the UN’s top rights official, Michelle Bachelet. The development comes after an appeal last week from the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prevent “catastrophic” rates of infection, as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise worldwide. After @mbachelet urged governments to reduce overcrowding in prisons to prevent catastrophic rates of #COVID19 infection, we are encouraged to note that a number of countries have indeed been taking action http://ow.ly/ze8850z4hDU#StopTheSpread To date, there have been more than a million confirmed cases and in excess of 50,000 people have died. But on Friday, Ms. Bachelet’s spokesperson, Rupert Colville urged States to release “every person detained without sufficient legal basis, including...
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April 03, 2020 No comments
‘Overwhelmed’ health systems have little room for sick refugees, migrants, UN agencies warn
INTERNATIONAL, 3 April 2020, Migrants and Refugees - Four prominent United Nations system entities have called on countries to protect refugees, migrants, stateless persons and those forcibly displaced by disasters and conflict – some of the world’s most vulnerable populations – against the rapidly expanding COVID-19 pandemic. In a joint statement released today, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN human rights office (OHCHR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) stressed that refugees, migrants and displaced persons are at heightened risk of contracting the new coronavirus disease. Only together, we can defeat #COVID19: http://vm.tiktok.com/tR8Q8q/ “Three quarters of the world's refugees and many migrants are hosted in developing regions where health systems are already overwhelmed and under-capacitated,” the statement reads. It notes that many...
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April 03, 2020 No comments
Coronavirus restrictions hamper aid access for Sudanese in need
INTERNATIONAL, 3 April 2020, Health - The United Nations and its partners are putting in place alternative plans to ensure the continuity of humanitarian assistance in Sudan, as measures taken by the Government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are having an impact on aid access, deliveries and services. According to Jens Laerke, Deputy Spokesperson at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), seven COVID-19 cases, including two deaths, have been confirmed in the east African country -- all having arrived from abroad and now receiving medical treatment in isolation centres in Khartoum. Measures taken by the Government include a 6pm to 6am curfew, the closure of schools for one month from mid-March and a reduction of staff in key government offices. Adapting to these...
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