WHO chief calls for debt relief for financially poorest nations amid COVID-19 crisis

World Health Organisation (WHO) chief emphasised need for debt relief for developing countries to enable m to avoid ecomic collapse due to pandemic. dressing a media briefing on April 1, WHO Director-General Tedros ham Ghebreyesus gave example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi anuncing a $24 billion pack for disvantd people but highlighted that many developing countries will struggle to implement such social welfare programs.

WHO chief said that lockdowns and stay-at-home orders can help limit spre of virus but such measures can have unintended consequences for poorest and most vulnerable people. Ghebreyesus ded that he has called on governments to put in place social welfare measures to ensure vulnerable people have food and or life essentials during this crisis.

Earlier, United Nations Conference on Tre and Development (UNCT) called for an urgent $2.5 trillion aid pack to help developing countries avoid worst-case scenarios due to coronavirus pandemic. It asked for debt jubilee for distressed ecomies and suggested to use German debt relief, ministered after World War II, as a benchmark.

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New trust fund

Following call, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres anunced establishment of a trust fund to support low-and middle-income countries to respond to emergency and recover from socio-ecomic shock from COVID-19 pandemic.  UN Secretary-General anunced new multi-partner Trust Fund for COVID-19 Response and Recovery while launching report, on March 31, on socio-ecomic impacts of pandemic.

Re: COVID-19: UN Chief Anunces Trust Fund For Low And Middle Income Countries

Guterres called for a large-scale, coordinated multilateral response amounting to 10 per cent of GDP but highlighted limitations of developing countries in doing so.  UN chief said that developed countries are capable of it on ir own but underlined necessity of massively increasing resources for developing countries by expanding capacity of International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“ United Nations system is fully mobilized, providing guidance for global efforts, supporting country responses and placing our supply chains at world’s disposal,” said Guterres.

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Re: WHO Urges Nations To Implement Social Welfare Measures, Hails India's Lockdown Pack

(Im Credit: Twitter / @DrTedros)