Coronavirus: UN highlights urgency to act for sustainable development goals

The United Nations discussed the urgency to act on the commitment of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at an informal briefing on May 11. The President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Mona Juul, convened the Briefing on 'Joining Forces: Effective Policy Solutions for Covid-19 Response'.

The UN held a wide-ranging policy discussion that can be used by countries to combat the pandemic, preserve advances made and get back on track towards achieving the SDGs. The ECOSOC President, in her opening remark, said that while the organisation is developing a better sense of next steps needed to overcome the health crisis, it is only beginning to realise the “true scale” of the social and economic crisis that lies ahead.

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Loss of livelihoods

Juul highlighted that not only half of the global workforce is in immediate danger of losing their livelihoods, but global poverty is also set for the first time since 1998. The ambassador added that  COVID-19 related disruption in programing in sub-Saharan Africa puts them at risk of returning to malaria mortality levels from 20 years ago.

“These are incomprehensible setbacks to our hard-won development gains. These facts are shocking, but they all point to one conclusion: we are facing a new reality post-COVID-19,” said the UN official.

Juul asserted that though the pandemic has impacted all of us, it has not been an equaliser, exposing the inequalities in our societies and further compounding them. She said that the disparities should work as a catalyst and it is the time to fulfil the promise of leaving no one behind.

“We are currently tossing and turning through dangerous waters. Fortunately, we have the sustainable development goals as our chart to see us through the storm,” said Juul.

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(Image: Twitter / @UNECOSOC)