Upcoming decisions / Disappointment and optimistic tones, what happened at the UN General Assembly where the crown was discussed, Merkel predicts…

The UN General Assembly dealt with the Corona pandemic in a separate meeting. At first, Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his disappointment. Chancellor Angela Merkel is less pessimistic.

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) spoke with confidence at the United Nations about the fight against the Corona pandemic. Progress in vaccine development offers hope, Merkel said via video at the UN General Assembly special session on Corona. Despite all the hardships in this year of crisis, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Merkel praised the UN program against Covid-19 disease. This will create a global platform for the development and distribution of medicines, diagnostics and vaccines, she said.

The program - the chancellor stressed - needs additional financial support. At the same time, no one should forget that the pandemic can be finally overcome only when everyone in the world has access to effective vaccines, the chancellor stressed.

The pandemic also clarifies the importance of the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO needs to be strengthened and in the future be even better able to respond to cross-border health threats. Germany is committed to this, Merkel said.

Guterres is disappointed

The UN program, anti-Covid-19, "ACT Accelerator", aims to ensure the fastest possible availability of medical diagnostic instruments, drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 worldwide, especially in poor countries. Most UN member states, including Germany, have joined since the founding of the ACT Accelerator. The project is coordinated by the World Health Organization. The program currently lacks about 23 billion euros.

At the beginning of the special meeting, UN Secretary General António Guterres made responsible for the spread of the pandemic disregard of the recommendations of the World Health Organization for Coronan. WHO provided "scientific facts and guidance" from the beginning. This could have been the basis for global cooperation in the fight against the virus. Unfortunately, these recommendations were not followed, the head of the United Nations complained. DW