Economic issues

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Sanda Ojiambo of Kenya as Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact.

The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Global Vaccine Alliance, warned today that COVID-19 is disrupting routine vaccination efforts around the world, putting about 80 million children under the age of one at risk of diseases including diphtheria, measles and polio.

The United Nations and the Government of Bangladesh are making preparations as Super Cyclone Storm Amphan approaches landfall tomorrow, potentially impacting more than 14 million people in the country.  The Humanitarian Coordination Task Team and the Government are working on preparedness and response activities.

The 2020 World Health Statistics, published today by the World Health Organization (WHO), show that the COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant loss of life, disrupting livelihoods and threatening recent development gains, underlining the urgent need for all nations to invest in strong health systems.

Ahead of Mother’s Day — observed in May in nearly 130 countries — the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is spotlighting ways that COVID-19 has recast motherhood and overwhelmed health facilities.  It is calling on Governments to help pregnant women receive check-ups and delivery care.

Following is a transcript of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ press conference, held in New York today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the virtual meeting of the 2020 Economic and Social Council forum on “Financing sustainable development in the context of COVID-19”, in New York today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the International Monetary Fund/World Bank high-level meeting on “Mobilizing with Africa”, in New York today:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released new guidance on COVID-19 and the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, stressing that they must not fear retribution for seeking health care amid the pandemic.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks on the United Nations development system’s socioeconomic response to COVID-19 at the virtual extraordinary meeting of the Group of Friends of Sustainable Development Goal Financing, in New York today: