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Daily Press Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General
The Secretary-General’s Policy Brief on COVID-19 and Universal Health Care Coverage was published this morning. The report makes clear that the pandemic has shown that under-investment in health can have a devastating impact on societies and economies.
Today, the Secretary-General spoke by video message to the Daring Cities Virtual Forum: Urban Leaders and Climate Change. He said that we need cities to commit to net zero emissions before 2050, and a 45 per cent reduction by 2030.
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, spoke at the opening of the Global Maritime Forum's Virtual High-Level Meeting. She thanked all seafarers for their work, saying they are essential to the functioning of our societies and economies.
The Deputy Secretary-General also had a video message today for the 2020 Bratislava Forum for GLOBSEC, a think tank. She highlighted how technology is making a world possible where we can continue to work and learn during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yesterday afternoon, she joined Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, the Director General of the Swedish International Development Cooperation, Carin Jamtin, as well as private sector partners, in an event moderated by Nathalia Kanem, the Head of UNFPA.
The UN Mission in Mali welcomes the designation of a transitional Government, following several weeks of negotiations.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Secretary-General said he is concerned by the announcement made on the opening of the beach/coastline of Varosha, in Cyprus.
The UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Imran Riza, and the UN’s Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Kevin Kennedy, both strongly condemned the horrific bombing that reportedly killed and injured dozens of civilians in Al Bab in northern Syria yesterday.
In Cameroon, the UN team, led by Resident Coordinator Matthias Naab, continue to support national efforts to boost livelihoods impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yesterday, the Security Council heard from Leila Zerrougui, the head of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She addressed the political situation and warned that an increased focus on the 2023 elections could undermine the much-needed progress in governance reforms and stabilization measures.
The World Food Programme in South Sudan strongly condemned an attack on its boat convoy carrying food assistance.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has come out with a new report on Iraq’s economic recovery from COVID-19. According to the policy paper, the country’s GDP is expected to reduce by nearly 10 percent in 2020, and the fiscal deficit is forecast to reach the unprecedented level of nearly 30 percent of GDP in 2020.
In Burkina Faso, the UN Refugee Agency has strongly condemned an attack that killed 25 internally displaced people.
For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General