The Economic and Social Council continued its annual Forum on Financing for Development today, holding two interactive panel discussions, during which speakers proposed potential solutions to COVID-19’s devastating impact on infrastructure investment — lagging even before the novel coronavirus struck — and sought ways to avoid a global post-pandemic recovery that leaves some behind.

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the Japan Institute of International Affairs/UNIC Tokyo/Ministry of Foreign Affairs Event — “The Significance of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Today’s World from the SDGs Viewpoint and the Role of the United Nations” — today:

Expectations are running high in Kosovo after elections that reflected a strong desire among its people for their leaders to fight crime corruption, improve socioeconomic conditions and tackle the COVID-19 pandemic while also advancing dialogue with Serbia, the top United Nations official in Pristina told a videoconference meeting of the Security Council today.

The United Nations Children’s Fund warned today that Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province is facing a large and likely long-lasting humanitarian situation.  The agency said it is concerned about the rising rate of malnutrition, and about cholera, which is not yet under control and is spreading to other provinces.

The Economic and Social Council opened its annual financing for development forum today amid warnings that, with more than 3 million lives lost to COVID-19 and infections still on the rise, Governments must urgently heed the lessons learned thus far if they are to avoid a lengthy global recession.

A new strategy to prevent conflict and consolidate peace in Africa’s Great Lakes region will bring fresh support to leaders working to end violence by armed groups, especially in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council during a videoconference meeting today, while describing diplomatic relations across the region as being broadly “on the right track”.

The United Nations team in Timor-Leste, led by Roy Trivedy, the Resident Coordinator, is supporting local authorities following floods that have impacted Díli and other parts of the country.  The Government says there have been more than 30 deaths and over 13,500 people are living in evacuation sites.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the opening of the 2021 Economic and Social Council Forum on Financing for Development, in New York today:

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed’s video message for the Initiative for Revival and Sustainable Development 2021:  Youth Empowerment Initiative Webinar, today:

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: