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 As COVID-19, which emerged in China late last year, began to spread
around the world, forcing millions of people to shelter at home and
dealing a devastating economic blow, countries turned inward and
diplomats say the United Nations struggled to assert itself.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Reuters that the
pandemic has exposed the world's fragilities. He plans to tell world
leaders on Monday that they need to work together at a time when
there is a surplus of multilateral challenges and deficit of
solutions.
The 15-member Security Council took months to back a call by
Guterres for a global ceasefire - to allow countries to focus on
fighting COVID-19 - due to bickering between the world's biggest
powers: China and the United States.
The 193-member General Assembly only adopted an omnibus resolution
on a "comprehensive and coordinated response" to the pandemic
earlier this month and it was not by consensus. The United States
and Israel voted no.
A $10.3 billion U.N. appeal to fund fighting the pandemic in
vulnerable and low-income countries is only a quarter funded.
Guterres now has taken a lead in pushing to make sure any vaccine
for the coronavirus is made available to everyone globally.
A senior European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
the General Assembly should have acted months ago, but "we were all
hampered by, and hit, by the COVID-19."
'MOMENTS OF DISAPPOINTMENT'
The United Nations headquarters is in New York, which was hit hard
by the coronavirus. U.N. member states had to decide how to work
virtually, which they did for several months before resuming some
in-person meetings recently.
"We all suffered from the fact that we couldn't meet ... A lot of
attention was paid to process more than substance unfortunately,"
said the European diplomat. "I wouldn't put the blame on the U.N. as
an organization, it's the member states that have to be more
assertive and positive."
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A U.N. report released on Monday found that six out of ten people believe the
United Nations has made the world a better place, but looking ahead
three-quarters see the world body as essential in tackling global challenges.
"However, at the same time, over half still see the U.N. as remote from their
lives and say they don't know much about it," the report said.
The one-day special event on Monday comes ahead of the annual meeting of world
leaders at the United Nations, which starts on Tuesday with no presidents or
prime ministers physically present in New York. All statements have been
pre-recorded and will be broadcast in the General Assembly hall.
The United Nations was created when countries came together after World War Two
to prevent another such conflict. While there has not been World War Three,
leaders will adopt a statement on Monday acknowledging "moments of
disappointment."
"Our world is not yet the world that our founders envisaged 75 years ago. It is
plagued by growing inequality, poverty, hunger, armed conflicts, terrorism,
insecurity, climate change and pandemics," the statement says.
"All this calls for greater action, not less," it says.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Diane Craft)
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