Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the UN, on Thursday criticized countries that ignored World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations on the COVID-19.
In a speech to begin the UN General Assembly meeting of world leaders on COVID-19, Guterres said the UN health agency provided scientific guidance that “should have been the basis for a coordinated global response.”
“Unfortunately, many of these recommendations were not followed.
“And in some situations, there was a rejection of facts and an ignoring of the guidance,’’ he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration would stop funding WHO and pull out of the Geneva-based organisation in the midst of the pandemic.
He has accused WHO of having allowed the Coronavirus to spread globally by helping China cover up the extent of the outbreak.
President-elect Joe Biden plans to reverse the exit process.
French President, Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel are among nearly 100 world leaders set to deliver pre-recorded video statements at the General Assembly’s two-day meeting.
The U.S. will be represented by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
The session is not expected to culminate in concrete political action or a declaration, but a summary document from General Assembly President, Volkan Bozkir.
The point of the session was for nations, the scientific community, and civil society “to hear from each other, engage in dialogue on the multifaceted consequences of the pandemic as well as on the ways to recover better and stronger,’’ Bozkir said in his opening remarks.
“This is not a time to point fingers,’’ he added. (dpa/NAN)
