Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Philippe Goffin participates today to a high-level debate of the United Nations Security Council on the theme “Global governance after the COVID-19 pandemic”.
The pandemic has had – and continues to have – major health, social, economic and humanitarian consequences worldwide. Particular attention must be paid to the vulnerable, including children, women, migrants and people living in conflict zones, as the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on them.
Minister Goffin will stress the importance that Belgium attaches to a multilateral approach to the fight against COVID-19 underlining in this regard the central role played by the World Health Organization (WHO). Belgium will reiterate its support for the call for a global ceasefire by the UN Secretary General and other initiatives to address the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In this year of its 75th anniversary, the global challenges facing our world – conflict, poverty, climate change, natural disasters, and now COVID-19 – are a stark reminder of the true “raison d’être” of the United Nations, and the simple and obvious need for enhanced multilateral cooperation. This must be based on trust and political will, fuelled by our mutual respect for the principles and values of multilateral cooperation, accelerated by innovative approaches”.
The virus and the ensuing health crisis have also had consequences for the United Nations itself, notably in terms of decision-making in the UN Security Council or the deployment of peacekeeping operations. Although most of these operations have shown great flexibility and ingenuity in continuing to carry out their mandates despite all the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 the Security Council will have to consider their adaptability.
This debate can be followed live from 2:30 pm (Belgian time) on: http://webtv.un.org/