New York
UN
Deputy Secretary-General's message to the the Members of the Mano River Union-United Nations Group
Statements | Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General
Statements | Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General
I am pleased to extend my warm wishes on the official launch of the Mano River Union-United Nations Group. Congratulations on this excellent and forward-looking initiative.
At its essence, this partnership is about promoting collaboration, harmonization and joined up action to respond to common challenges of peace, security and sustainable development. As such, this effort will help promote the values and benefits of international cooperation and multilateralism that underpin the universal principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
Your leadership and example are particularly timely as COVID-19 continues to spread at an alarming rate around the world. The pandemic is more than a health crisis; it is an economic crisis, a humanitarian crisis, a security crisis — and, above all, a human crisis.
More than ever, our world needs unity and solidarity to advance a large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive health response, with an emphasis on support for developing countries.
We can also draw from lessons learned. West African countries are now successfully applying insights from addressing the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak to tackle COVID-19. Last week also marked the end of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Many countries are now implementing the same public health measures in their COVID-19 response that were successful in stopping Ebola – such as case-finding, isolation, testing, contact tracing and respectful care. These actions must remain the backbone of the response in every country.
We must also resist complacency. Viruses do not take breaks and many countries are seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Ultimately, the best defense against any outbreak is investing in a stronger health system as the foundation for universal health coverage.
We all recognize the commitment and solidarity of so many countries and partners to support the effective Ebola infection control measures in Western Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
That same spirit of solidarity, combined with comprehensive public health measures, must guide global efforts to defeat the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The United Nations is committed to enhancing our collaboration on our shared peace, security, human rights, humanitarian and socio-economic development agenda, including in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The effort you launch today offers a critical new avenue to discuss opportunities to further these shared goals in the Mano River Basin and in the larger West Africa sub-region.
I have no doubt that this Group will strengthen seamless information flow and collaboration between the United Nations and the Mano River Union Countries, leveraging comparative advantages.
Thank you for your engagement. I wish you a fruitful and productive meeting.
At its essence, this partnership is about promoting collaboration, harmonization and joined up action to respond to common challenges of peace, security and sustainable development. As such, this effort will help promote the values and benefits of international cooperation and multilateralism that underpin the universal principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
Your leadership and example are particularly timely as COVID-19 continues to spread at an alarming rate around the world. The pandemic is more than a health crisis; it is an economic crisis, a humanitarian crisis, a security crisis — and, above all, a human crisis.
More than ever, our world needs unity and solidarity to advance a large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive health response, with an emphasis on support for developing countries.
We can also draw from lessons learned. West African countries are now successfully applying insights from addressing the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak to tackle COVID-19. Last week also marked the end of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Many countries are now implementing the same public health measures in their COVID-19 response that were successful in stopping Ebola – such as case-finding, isolation, testing, contact tracing and respectful care. These actions must remain the backbone of the response in every country.
We must also resist complacency. Viruses do not take breaks and many countries are seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Ultimately, the best defense against any outbreak is investing in a stronger health system as the foundation for universal health coverage.
We all recognize the commitment and solidarity of so many countries and partners to support the effective Ebola infection control measures in Western Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
That same spirit of solidarity, combined with comprehensive public health measures, must guide global efforts to defeat the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The United Nations is committed to enhancing our collaboration on our shared peace, security, human rights, humanitarian and socio-economic development agenda, including in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The effort you launch today offers a critical new avenue to discuss opportunities to further these shared goals in the Mano River Basin and in the larger West Africa sub-region.
I have no doubt that this Group will strengthen seamless information flow and collaboration between the United Nations and the Mano River Union Countries, leveraging comparative advantages.
Thank you for your engagement. I wish you a fruitful and productive meeting.