“Today, we are launching a $2 billion global humanitarian response plan to fund the fight against COVID-19 in the world’s poorest countries,” Guterres said. “If such funding is diverted, the consequences could be catastrophic: the further spread of cholera, measles and meningitis; greater levels of child malnutrition; and a blow to the ability of these countries to combat the virus.”
On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on G20 leaders to cancel sanctions that prevent the delivery of medical aid amid the new coronavirus pandemic.
In a separate development, leaders of nine European Union states, including France, Spain and Italy have called in a letter for a common debt instrument to combat COVID-19. They urged the EU to consider a specific funding for the coronavirus-related spending in the EU budget for 2020-2021. The letter was also signed by the leaders of Portugal, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Belgium and Greece.