United Nations Organization adopts resolution on COVID – 19

The resolution titled ‘Global solidarity to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)’

• The UN General Assembly has unanimously adopted its first resolution on the coronavirus pandemic co-sponsored by India and 187 other nations
• It called for intensified global cooperation to defeat the deadly disease that is causing “severe disruption” to societies and economies
• The 193-member General Assembly notes “with great concern” the threat to human health, safety and well-being caused by the pandemic

Key highlights of the resolution

• It recognizes the “unprecedented effects of the pandemic, including the severe disruption to societies and economies, as well as to global travel and commerce, and the devastating impact on the livelihood of people
• The resolution called for “intensified international cooperation to contain, mitigate and defeat the pandemic
• It includes exchanging information, scientific knowledge and best practices and by applying the relevant guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization
• It also emphasized the need for “full respect for human rights, and stresses that there is no place for any form of discrimination, racism and xenophobia in the response to the pandemic
• Recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic requires a global response based on unity, solidarity and renewed multilateral cooperation
• The General Assembly “reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation and multilateralism and its strong support for the central role of the United Nations system in the global response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
• The resolution “expresses optimism” that the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic can be “mitigated and successfully reversed through leadership and sustained global cooperation and solidarity”
• It calls upon the United Nations system to work with all relevant actors to mobilize a coordinated global response to the pandemic and its adverse impact on all societies
• It also recognized that the poorest and most vulnerable are the hardest hit by the pandemic and that the impact of the crisis will reverse hard-won development gains and hamper progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
• The 15-nation Security Council, the most powerful UN organ, is expected to hold a meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic next week

Resolution in silent mode

• Since the General Assembly is not holding meetings due to the pandemic, the resolution was adopted under a silence procedure and the draft resolution was under silence procedure until April 2 at 6pm
• The resolution was sponsored by Ghana, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland
• According to the new voting rules, if there were no objections to the resolution within the specified time period from member states, the President of the General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande would circulate a letter confirming adoption
• A second draft resolution titled “Declaration of solidarity of the United Nations in the face of the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)”, sponsored by Russia and supported by Central African Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela was not approved by the General Assembly
• The resolution called for refraining from raising trade barriers, imposing new export restrictions or implementing protectionist and discriminatory measures inconsistent with the World Trade Organization rules

Pic courtesy : timesofindia.indiatimes.com