Op Ed, jointly submitted by Her Excellency Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (MP), Her Excellency Ms Retno L.P. Marsudi, Her Excellency Dr Katrin Eggenberger, Her Excellency Ms Ine Eriksen Søreide, His Excellency Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, His Excellency Mr Ignazio Cassis, the Foreign Ministers of Ghana, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland:
“We the peoples of the United Nations...” reads the immortal opening line of the Charter of the United Nations (UN). It paints a picture of the creation of an organisation from the ashes of WWII. A coming together of nations to overcome adversity.
Now 75 years on, in the face of a global pandemic, we must again live up to our founding principles. As the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres has underlined, COVID-19 is the greatest test that we have faced since the formation of the United Nations. A virus that is oblivious to national boundaries or immigration procedures in its trajectory of destruction and pain across our world. A formidable threat to the human race, this challenge undoubtedly requires a multilateral response for meaningful impact.
This is why our countries Ghana, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland have come together at the UN to draft the first resolution on the fight against COVID-19 (A/RES/74/270 “Global Solidarity to fight the COVID-19”).
While a resolution on the given crisis of the day is to be expected from the UN, this one represents much more. It is a signal of global solidarity. It is a show of force.
It is the first intergovernmental statement from the UN on COVID-19 but it certainly will not be the last. This resolution is an overdue first step, to convey a message to people around the world that the UN is responding to this crisis.
Beyond the words of the General Assembly, we must now give our full support to the UN’s operational work at the service of the countries and the people most in need of international cooperation. This human crisis has proven to be a monumental national challenge for every government, to re-allocate their resources, and reformulate their priorities. While on the frontline, our health care professionals and other essential workers are risking their lives – literally, to save humanity.
The UN system, in particular the World Health Organisation (WHO), is playing a central role in mobilising and coordinating the worldwide response to this pandemic and supporting national efforts. Beyond the short term, the WHO, in addition to addressing urgent humanitarian needs, is also dealing with the inevitable long-term economic, social and developmental consequences of this crisis, and building future resilience.
The UN with its convening power, and resources on the ground is best placed to bring together not just every country, but also every possible partner, from civil society to the private sector. To overcome this health emergency with a spirit of solidarity, we need to promote action without stigma or discrimination, and to ensure that no one in our society is left behind.
It is imperative to underscore that personal and individual efforts are required to complement national and international response to the pandemic. The world’s population is, therefore, reminded that the first frontline of the fight against COVID-19 is your front door. Hence, the call on people to stay at home for better containment. It is vitally important that every individual adheres to the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols.
The challenges we face remain vast. Nevertheless, the resolution adopted on 2 April 2020 expresses our optimism. We have put on record our conviction that the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic can be mitigated, and successfully reversed, through leadership and sustained global cooperation. We hope this resolution is one of “we the peoples”, towards a new kind of multilateralism, where the UN again rises to face a global challenge with a truly united response.
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