Antonio Guterres
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged to devote 2021 to getting rid of the consequences of the coronavirus: healing the economy, society and the planet as a whole. He announced this in a New Year's video message posted on Twitter.
According to him, 2020 has become a year of trials, tragedies and tears, and the COVID-19 pandemic has turned people's lives upside down.
“We have already lost so many loved ones, and the pandemic continues to rage, hitting new people and claiming new lives. Poverty, inequality and hunger are on the rise in the world. Jobs disappear and debts accumulate. It is especially difficult for children, ”the Secretary General said.
He noted that ahead of the New Year, along with which beams of hope are visible. Guterres called on everyone to come to terms with each other and with nature, overcome the climate crisis and stop the spread of COVID-19. “Let's make 2021 a year of healing. Healing from the effects of a deadly virus. Healing a disrupted economy and society. Elimination of dividing lines. And the beginning of actions to heal our planet, ”the Secretary General concluded.
Earlier, Guterres spoke about the main threats of the decade, which relate to the destruction of nuclear deterrence agreements and the lack of regulation in cyberspace. The serious problems in global coordination, he said, “go far beyond the response to the pandemic.”
In November, the UN Secretary General expressed concern about the exacerbation of hunger and the unfavorable forecast for the food situation on the planet in 2021. With 130 million people at risk of starvation by the end of 2020, he said, the World Food Program (WFP) continues to play a vital role.
