Expert panellists addressed the General Assembly in the second day of an unprecedented special session dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic that has so far infected 65 million people and continues to claim 70,000 lives every week, citing possibly catastrophic global famine in the coming months, while also pointing hopefully towards imminent vaccines and their deployment.

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Business Forum 2020, today:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on International Universal Health Coverage Day, observed on 12 December:

Noting an improved security situation in Burundi, but also calling on its Government to address human rights violations and other continuing issues, the Security Council today ended mandatory reporting on the country and encouraged its international partners to continue dialogue towards resumption of development assistance.

The Security Council today renewed for an additional 12 months its authorization for States and regional organizations cooperating with Somalia to use all necessary means to fight piracy off the coast of the East African country, with voting results announced virtually in accordance with the temporary silence procedure adopted for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ahead of a high-level debate on cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union in peace and security, the Security Council today encouraged the two organizations to further strengthen their coordination in a mutually supportive manner across the range of possible responses to conflict.

More than 47,000 Ethiopians have arrived in Sudan seeking safety, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today.  A small number of Eritrean refugees also arrived from Tigray.  UNHCR and Sudanese authorities have now moved more than 11,000 refugees 70 kilometres from the Ethiopian border.

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

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery to the General Assembly Special Session in Response to the COVID‑19 Pandemic, today:

Following are UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ remarks, as delivered at the Security Council debate on Cooperation between the United Nations and Regional and Subregional Organizations: African Union, today: