Responding to pandemic in emergency mode, UN is more relevant and more effective today than three years ago, Governments say

While COVID-19 has taken over three million lives and millions are being pushed into extreme poverty globally, United Nations (UN) teams are also responding in emergency mode to the huge social and economic impacts of the pandemic. In 2020 alone, nearly 250 million people received essential services backed by UN teams—nearly half of them in Least Developed Countries, 42 per cent of them in Landlocked Developing Countries and 2 million in Small Island Developing States.

The historical reforms launched in 2018 have helped UN agencies to pull their expertise and their staff to support the poorest countries in, not only dealing with the pandemic, but also keeping the compass on realizing the Sustainable Development Goals, combatting poverty, growing green economies, building peace and achieving gender equality. 

These are some key findings of two new UN reports to be launched by Secretary-General António Guterres and Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed on Tuesday 18 May. The reports also show how the UN development system leveraged recent reforms to swiftly deliver development support and in a more coordinated manner, in a scale previously only witnessed on the humanitarian front. Over 90 per cent of governments hosting UN teams perceived the UN as more relevant to address countries’ needs compared to three years ago, according to the upcoming Secretary-General’s report.

During the virtual three-day session of the Economic and Social Council, top UN officials at global, regional and country levels will discuss with government representatives ways forward to address the unparalleled challenges brought by the pandemic and shape a more impactful United Nations more focused on the poorest and most vulnerable, more attuned to environmental and climate needs, more efficient and better funded.

• WHAT: 2021 Economic and Social Council | Operational activities for development segment
• WHEN: Tuesday 18 May 10am – Thursday 20 May
• WHERE: http://webtv.un.org/
• DRAFT PROGRAMME:

More:

• Official website:
• 2021 Secretary-General’s Report on the implementation of the QCPR
• 2021 Report of the Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group on the Development Coordination Office | E-Report