Covid-19 pandemic, a full blown economic and social crisis

LOEY FELIPE/UN PHOTO

The Covid-19 pandemic quickly moved beyond being a health crisis to become a full blown economic and social crisis. Given that, one would expect global leaders to move quickly in a co-ordinated response to avert the worst consequences. To date, that has not happened. 

Last Friday, 8 May, the United Nations Security Council failed, again, to agree to a rather limited resolution which would have backed the Secretary-General's call of 23 March for a global ceasefire to enable authorities everywhere to focus on stopping the transmission of Covid-19. The resolution, presented by France and Tunisia, would also have expressed support for the work of "all relevant entities of the United Nations system, including the specialised health agencies". The United States objected to the reference to the health agencies because it is currently very hostile to the World Health Organisation and is threatening to de-fund it.

In an ironic coincidence, last Friday was also the anniversary of the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox. Even in the bleakest days of the Cold War, great powers put ideological and geopolitical differences aside to fight that common threat. That same spirit is required now to fight Covid-19. 

This calls into question yet again whether the Security Council is fit for the purpose for which it was created - to advance peace and security. This is a time for it to step up to a crisis which threatens global peace and security, and not to walk away from it. Threats to peace and security may come from outright conflict and/or from major threats to human security like a pandemic and climate change.

I am leading a webinar for members of The Helen Clark Foundation this Wednesday, 13 May, at 11.30 am, NZ time. If you would like to become a member and link to the webinar, here are the relevant links: https://helenclark.foundation/events/

Read the article on passblue.com, ‘Pathetic’: The US Pulls the Plug on a UN Global Cease-Fire Resolution