New York, USA
A Covid-19 vaccine
may be the only thing that can bring back "normalcy," UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday, hoping for just that before
the end of the year.
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| UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned about an 'epidemic of misinformation' surrounding the coronavirus outbreak |
"A safe and effective vaccine may be the only tool that can
return the world to a sense of 'normalcy,' saving millions of lives and
countless trillions of dollars," he added during a video conference with
the 50 or so African countries that are members of the United Nations.
He called for its accelerated development and accessibility to
all, adding it must have a "universal global benefit" and "allow
us to control the pandemic."
"We need an ambitious effort to ensure that international
stakeholders operate through a harmonized, integrated and leveraged approach to
maximize the speed and scale needed for the universal deployment of such a
vaccine by the end of 2020," he insisted.
Guterres said his appeal on March 25 for $2 billion in donations
for a comprehensive UN humanitarian response to the pandemic had so far raised
about 20 percent of that amount.
Through the World Health Organization, the United Nations has been
able to equip 47 African countries with Covid-19 tests, he said.
The UN chief also praised the efforts of several African
governments to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic.
He cited Uganda, which has given businesses more time to file
their tax returns; Namibia, which provides emergency income for workers who
have lost their jobs; Cape Verde, which provides food aid; and Egypt, which has
reduced taxation on industries. - AFP
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