#COVID-19

Following are UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ opening remarks at the high‑level interactive dialogue with heads of regional and other organizations, today:

Following are UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ closing remarks at the high‑level interactive dialogue with heads of regional and other organizations, today:

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said carbon dioxide continues to be at record highs, despite COVID-19 lockdowns around the world.  According to the WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, carbon dioxide levels saw a growth spurt in 2019 and the annual global average breached the significant threshold of 410 parts per million.

Following is the text of UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ video message to the International Finance Forum 2020 annual meeting, in Guangzhou, China, today:

Humanitarian partners in Honduras launched a flash appeal for $69.2 million to help the Government respond to the needs of 450,000 vulnerable people affected by Hurricane Eta, which caused catastrophic damage.  Given the recent new tropical storm Iota, the plan will be updated following assessments of its impact.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the Joint Meeting of the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, “Fostering global solidarity in response to coherent and conflict sensitive responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and its socioeconomic impacts”, held on 19 November:

With the world still deep in the grip of COVID‑19, many countries find themselves no more than a crisis or two away from sliding into conflict, speakers warned today during a virtual joint meeting of the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission that focused on ways to forge solidarity and develop conflict-sensitive responses to the worst global pandemic in a century.

The World Health Organization (WHO) today reported that the eleventh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has ended.  WHO thanked partners for their support and congratulated responders and all those who tirelessly tracked cases, provided treatment, engaged communities and vaccinated more than 40,000 people at risk.

The African Union‑United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur reported that they held two dialogue forums in North Darfur’s Khartoum Jadid and Korgul villages to help prevent tension between farmers and herders during the current harvest season.  The 95 participants, including 35 women, were addressed by community and traditional leaders.

Central America is bracing for another potentially catastrophic storm – named Iota – just two weeks after Hurricane Eta made landfall in the region, causing death and destruction.  Ahead of Iota, the United Nations, alongside regional and national partners, is building on preparedness and response efforts for Eta.