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COVID-19 pandemic the worst crisis since World War II, says UN Chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday that the world is facing the most challenging crisis since World War II, stressing that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic can trigger a recession “that probably has no parallel in the recent past.”
The UN chief said that the pandemic and its economic effect combined would bring “enhanced instability, enhanced unrest, and enhanced conflict.”
He also called for a greater cooperation to respond against the pandemic to mitigate the social and economic devastation, AFP reported.
“A stronger and more effective response… is only possible in solidarity if everybody comes together and if we forget political games and understand that it is humankind at stake,” Guterres pointed out.
He added that “the magnitude of the response must match the scale of the crisis — large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive, with country and international responses being guided by the World Health Organization.”
The secretary-general also highlighted the need to develop a global package to aid developing countries and address the disease’s consequences, particularly on unemployment, the collapse of small firms and people in the informal economy.
“We are slowly moving in the right direction, but we need to speed up, and we need to do much more if we want to defeat the virus.”
The UN on Tuesday established a new fund to aid developing countries after appealing last week for donations for poor and conflict-hit nations.
“It is essential that developed countries immediately assist those less developed to bolster their health systems and their response capacity to stop transmission,” Guterres underscored.
He said nations must act quickly as coronavirus outbreak could resurface from poorer countries, especially in Africa, to hit first world countries again, adding that millions could perish.

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