COVID-19 Hit Most Vulnerable Hardest, Deputy Secretary-General Notes in Message for Global Citizen's 'Recover Together Better' Campaign

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message for the Global Citizen’s "Recover Better Together" campaign, today:

Dear all,

The COVID-19 pandemic is an extraordinary challenge.  To emerge stronger, we need an extraordinary response.

The crisis has claimed more than 2 million lives.  We have lost parents, daughters, sons, grandparents, friends and colleagues.  As always, the most vulnerable are most affected.

Decades of progress towards a better world are at risk.  We must reignite our efforts to keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals.  I am convinced that is possible to get on track.  It starts by overcoming the pandemic.  We must make this happen — and we must do so together.

There’s hope on the horizon with the roll-out of safe and effective vaccines.  These vaccines must be available and accessible to all.  No person is safe until everyone is safe, and no country is safe until all countries are safe.

The COVAX collaboration among Governments, global health organizations, the private sector, civil society and philanthropy is seeking to ensure people in every corner of the world have access to vaccines.  We need all of you to make sure that COVAX reaches its goal of distributing 2 billion doses this year.

Only by working together can we ensure that no one is left behind.  Only by working together can we recover better to build a world where everyone thrives in peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet.

We count on Global Citizen to mobilize networks of young people around the world.  Your voices must be heard.  Shout loud and act now.  Together it is possible.