Thank you very much. 

Allow me, before starting, a personal testimony. I am deeply moved by the information I just received of the passing of His Highness, the Emir of Kuwait. 

The Emir of Kuwait was an extraordinary symbol of wisdom and generosity, a messenger of peace, a bridge builder. 

I will never forget, as High Commissioner for Refugees, that I witnessed his initiative and his leadership in some of the most important humanitarian actions in the world. Millions of people have seen their lives saved or their communities in deep distress - because of conflict or natural disasters - being assisted and protected. He was always in the first line of mobilizing the international community in acts of solidarity with those in need. 

I want to express to his family and to the government and people of Kuwait my deepest condolences. 

Now, in just four months, since Prime Minister Trudeau, Prime Minister Holness and I convened global leaders in May, 25 million more people have contracted COVID-19 and 600,000 more people have died. 

There are over 33 million confirmed cases around the world, and the number of lives lost has already passed one million. 

The crisis has snatched lives and livelihoods and taken an unprecedented toll on economies, particularly in the countries and communities least able to cope.  

So far, we have not yet seen enough solidarity to assist with the massive and urgent support those countries and communities need. 

The international community should also increase the resources available to the International Monetary Fund, including through a new allocation of Special Drawing Rights and a voluntary reallocation of existing Special Drawing Rights.  

This is exactly the kind of crisis for which the IMF was created – to put teetering economies back on their feet. We will not see a global recovery until we have stopped the virus in its tracks.  
Second, many countries urgently need debt relief.  I hope the Debt Service Suspension Initiative will be extended and its scope expanded to all developing and Middle-Income countries in need. The private sector, including the credit rating agencies, must be engaged in relief efforts.  

I am encouraged to see over 40 Heads of State and Government and the leaders of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the OECD and the African Union coming together aroundthese bold policies. 

Then, I urge the international community to take a collective action to provide $35 billion to the ACT-Accelerator to ensure equitable access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. Of that, we need $15 billion immediately, to move from successful start-up to scale-up. 

Third, I strongly encourage providing resources at scale to developing economies, namely through the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, either using existing facilities or innovative facilities of concessional financing that are so important for the most needed countries.   

Governments must have the resources to invest in job creation and retention, get education and businesses back on track, and align their budgets with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement, in order to build forward, stronger, greener and better. 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

COVID-19 is an acute crisis. But the problems the pandemic has exposed are chronic pre-existing conditions. 

Ignoring these warning signs is an act of planetary self-harm. 

We must stop the virus in its tracks; respond; recover; and strengthen our systems for the future. 

I want to thank Prime Ministers Trudeau and Holness for their leadership, as well as all who have come together today in solidarity.