Virtual Information Session of the WHO on Covid-19, 16 April, 2020

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Comments by

H. E. Mr. Javad Amin-Mansour

Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative

Virtual Information Session of the WHO on Covid-19

16 April, 2020

 Dear Colleagues,

Good Afternoon,

I thank the secretariat for organizing, presenting the latest information and making comments in another virtual information session of the WHO to exchange views on the latest developments and our collective measures against the spread of Covid-19.

As distinguished colleagues are well aware, all of us are at a crucial juncture due to the world-wide outbreak of Covid-19. The numbers of infected and dying people from all layers of the societies are still on rise. We are facing a serious global challenge and, therefore, we need increased international cooperation and collective endeavors in order to meet the existing and new challenges. In this line, multilateralism is an appropriate umbrella under which all Member States, the civil societies and the private sector can exchange views and work together to overcome the difficulties that we are all facing with. Needless to emphasize that unilateralism and populism could be counted as major threats to the collective efforts of the international community to meet the challenges.

The world-wide outbreak of the Coronavirus, in spite of its sorrowful and adverse implications, created positively a new atmosphere of friendship and solidarity among all States to fight collectively against this deadly and devastating Virus.

We believe that the international organizations, with the central role of the WHO, have the capacity, mandate, and potentials to mobilize all available resources to coordinate and expand regional and international cooperation to overcome the current difficulties. While appreciating the role and contributions of the WHO secretariat, in particular the Director General, Mr. Tedross Adhanom, to our collective efforts to tackle the challenge of Covid-19, we deplore any decision, effort, or position such as unilateral economic sanctions including the cut of funding to WHO, which undermine the capacity of national, regional and international health systems to fight the spread of Coronavirus and its deadly consequences. There is no doubt; those decisions have also adverse impacts on the human rights all people across the globe, in particular the human rights to life and health. In that context, the US announcement that it would cut funding for WHO, is unwarranted, repulsive and totally irresponsible, given the dire situation that the whole humanity is facing, as the result of deadly pandemic. We believe those who are at the forefront of this existential fight should be supported and glorified by all means, not to be blamed and scapegoated, because of our mistakes and failures.

Last but not least, as mentioned earlier, we think there is a need for more assistance and coordination from the part of the WHO to activate and implement the provisions of the regional legal frameworks to contain and fight against Covid-19. As the DG referred to ASEAN in his introductory remarks, we believe that regional arrangements could contribute significantly to advance our collective efforts to suppress Covid-19 pandemic.

We have certain proposals in this regard and will share them with the Secretariat very soon.

I thank you.