Throughout the past year, COVID-19 continued to cause “immeasurable suffering and death,” he said.
The UN chief paid tribute to all colleagues who died in service last year, whether through malicious acts, natural disasters, or illness.
“Together, they represent the magnificent diversity of our United Nations family,” upheld the UN chief.
Profiling the fallen
Hailing from 104 nations, 70 were military personnel, one a police officer and 414 civilian workers, he said.
Their expertise and backgrounds were as diverse as the work they did across the UN Secretariat, agencies, funds, and programmes.
“Often far from home, without fanfare, they devoted their careers to help others”, he added.
Aspiring to lofty goals
“Unbowed by cynicism, they worked to make a difference – no matter how high the obstacle; no matter how distant the reward; no matter, even, how difficult the challenge,” he said.
They worked to secure peace in forgotten places; fed the hungry; sheltered those driven from their homes; helped protect our planet; delivered life-saving assistance; and fought to give children a better future.
“In short, they upheld the vision and values of the United Nations,” the Secretary-General declared. “We mourn their passing and cherish their memories”.
After a moment of silent reflection on their lives and service, he spoke of a world in turmoil, “scarred by conflicts, threatened by crises and overwhelmed by emergencies”.
In hope of joining forces and working together “as one international community”, Mr. Guterres reminded that the UN is both “the instrument and the expression of that community”.
“It is the colleagues we honour today who embodied that promise and gave life to that hope,” he said.
Dedication and support
The Secretary-General pledged the support of the UN for the families of the fallen and to review and improve the safety, care, and wellbeing of its staff.
“We vow to carry on with the same dedication and courage that defined their work,” he said.
“Our colleagues lost their lives, but their spirit to help others lives on – today and every day,” stated the UN chief, adding that may their memory be “a blessing and an inspiration to us all”.
It was the fourth stop of her tour of Central Asia, having previously visited Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Coalitions must be built
“According to official statistics, one in three women has experienced domestic violence at some point in their lives”, said the Deputy UN chief, opening a meeting with representatives of civil society organizations involved in the Spotlight initiative, a joint UN-European Union program to combat gender violence.
“In recent times, especially during the (COVID-19) pandemic, we have seen the horrendous scale of this problem,” she added.
“SDG 5 (reaching gender equality) is critical to achieving all the other SDGs”, she said. “If you count how many days an abused woman misses work, you can understand how a silent pandemic is negatively affecting the economy and GDP of any country.”
The UN wants to hear first-hand information from those who work directly with victims of domestic violence on the ground, in order to understand how to make the Spotlight Initiative more effective still.
The local Director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, Malika Zhusupova, told Ms. Mohammed about the difficulties her team had to face.
Burden of proof
There are legislative gaps which mean, for example, that a woman who accuses her husband of beating her, must provide the court with a doctor’s certificate, that her injuries had forced her to spend at least 21 days hospitalized.
And an accused rapist, can only be charged, on the basis of doctors’ testimony.
“Few women will agree to lie in the hospital for so many days, leaving their children unattended, to leave work. We sometimes have to fight to prove that a woman suffered”, Ms. Zhusupova said.
The Deputy Secretary-General expressed that view that in such cases, NGOs should work closely with lawyers, parliamentarians, and others, to change or amend existing laws and change the balance of power.
“The UN has worked this way in many parts of the world”, she said. “For example, in Latin America, and even in my home country, there are many cases where the death of a woman at the hands of her husband is considered in court as simple domestic violence. Here you need to create a coalition of your supporters from among lawyers, parliamentarians, the presidential administration, the government, since it is always easier to work together”, she said.
Burnout
Executive Director of the public fund, Daris – 2016, Gulnur Idigeeva, speaking at the meeting, raised the problem of psychological burnout faced by NGO employees who help victims of violence.
“It is impossible to remain indifferent and psychologically calm after difficult life situations that victims of violence come to us with”, she said.
“People do not withstand such psychological impacts, and they quit. Are there any special trainings or services that would help defenders of victims of violence, go through rehabilitation?”
Amina Mohammad agreed that burnout is one of the important issues that has not been given due attention.
“During my trips to different countries, I was shocked by the work of one woman who provided psychological assistance to victims of violence. I asked her how she copes with such a heavy moral burden, to which she replied that this was the first time she had been asked such a question and that she was trying to find support and strength for recovery on her own.”
Ms. Mohammed said the Spotlight Initiative should now consider adding a psychological rehabilitation component to its programme, for those who work with victims of violence: “Well, Kazakhstan has proposed a new component to the UN programme,” she exclaimed.
Bringing men on board
According to the Deputy UN chief, it’s important to involve local leaders, including men in positions of authority, in the effort to end violence against women.
“We need to organize a movement to create a society without violence”, said Ms. Mohammed, which includes some of those typically seen as “macho” types, to condemn such violence.
She said it was also important to involve youth “in this social movement, as we need to reach out to the next generation. Men need to be educated from an early age,” she suggested.
She said that the UN is planning to expand funding for the Spotlight Initiative, and not only through partners, the EU.
“There are already other countries that have reacted positively to our offer to help with funding so the Spotlight Programme can be extended. And now we need your support so that this silent pandemic, which no one notices, is finally, completely eradicated”, she concluded.
High level meetings
The Deputy Secretary-General also met President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during her visit to Kazakhstan. The meeting covered a range of issues, including Government efforts to make State institutions more people-centred, Kazakhstan’s Voluntary National Review of its plans to help limit global warming and climate change in line with the Paris Agreement, and plans to operationalize a commitment to decarbonisation, by 2060.
The Deputy Secretary-General also met with Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin, as well as with the UN country team. From Kazakhstan, Amina Mohammed went on to Kyrgyzstan.
First elected in 2017, his re-election by secret ballot, was confirmed during the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva. He was the sole candidate.
The vote was the culmination of an election process that began in April 2021 when Member States were invited to submit proposals for candidates for the post of Director-General. The WHO Executive Board, meeting in January of this year, nominated Dr Tedros to stand for a second term.
His re-election was met with wide and loud applause from ministers and others at the Assembly in Geneva. According to news reports he received 155 out of 160 votes cast, although he did not win the support of his native Ethiopia, due to opposing views over the Tigray conflict.
The WHO chief’s new mandate officially commences on 16 August. A Director-General can be re-appointed once, in accordance with World Health Assembly rules and procedures.
‘Humbled and honoured’
In a tweet following the vote, Tedros said that he was “humbled and honoured” by the vote of confidence, adding that he was “deeply grateful for the trust and confidence of Member States.”
“I thank all health workers and my WHO colleagues around the world”, he continued saying he was looking forward to “continuing our journey together.”
In remarks after the vote, he said his re-election was a vote of confidence in the whole WHO adding: “this is for the whole team.”
He acknowledged the pressure and attacks from “many quarters” during the pandemic, saying that despite the insults and attacks, he and the organization always kept an open mind and did not take it personally.
“We have to focus on promoting health…number two, we have to focus on primary healthcare” and thirdly, he cited the importance of emergency preparedness and response, being dependent on the first two priorities.
Transformation
During his first term, Tedros instituted a wide-ranging transformation of the WHO, the agency said in a press release, “aimed at increasing the Organization’s efficiency driving impact at country level to promote healthier lives, protect more people in emergencies and increase equitable access to health.”
Tedros guided WHO’s response to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, where he sometimes faced criticism, most notably, from former United States President, Donald Trump, who took the decision to withdraw the US from the WHO – a move since reversed.
The WHO chief also steered the response to outbreaks of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and led the agency dealing with the health impacts of multiple other humanitarian crises, most recently the war in Ukraine.
Ministerial career
Before first being appointed WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ethiopia between 2012 and 2016 and as Minister of Health prior to that, from 2005.
He had also served as chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; as chair of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board; and as co-chair of the Board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.
From the economic repercussions of the COVID pandemic to food insecurity exacerbated by the Ukraine war, Secretary-General António Guterres painted a picture of accumulating crises that have put the drive towards the global goals into reverse.
“We must rise higher to rescue the SDGs – and stay true to our promise of a world of peace, dignity and prosperity on a healthy planet,” he underscored at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting on Operational Activities for Development.
‘Emergency of global proportions’
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the loss of some 15 million lives, pushed 100 million into poverty in 2020 alone, and set back human development – especially women’s rights – by a full generation, according to Mr. Guterres.
“We are facing a development emergency of global proportions.”@UN Secretary-General addresses . Member States at the start of the #ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment. Happening now – live on webTV. pic.twitter.com/ZmiFTtuYpj
— Rosemary Kalapurakal 🇺🇳 (@RKalapurakal) May 17, 2022
“The pandemic demanded a united response based on solidarity between developed and developing countries – but that did not happen,” he said.
While developed countries invested trillions in their recovery, the developing world has been left to fend for itself “in a global financial system that favours the richest and punishes the poorest”.
“Many developing countries are now dealing with the health and socio-economic impact of the pandemic; the unequal recovery; the effects of the climate crisis; and the economic shock to food, fuel and financial markets caused by the war in Ukraine,” continued Mr. Guterres, describing the situation as “a development emergency of global proportions”.
‘No time for complacency’
Calling the 2030 Agenda “our clearest pathway forward,” Mr. Guterres said the UN development system had been transformed in recent months to better respond to countries’ needs and priorities.
“But this is no time for complacency. The world is on fire and so far, international cooperation has not delivered for those who need it most,” he said. “We have no alternative but to keep pushing our limits and stepping up our efforts”.
Aligning for development
The Our Common Agenda report includes “a New Global Deal to ensure power, wealth and opportunities are shared more broadly, so countries can invest in their people,” he said.
And it calls for all forms of public and private finance to be aligned with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
Within UN Country Teams worldwide, Mr. Guterres identified five areas for urgent attention, beginning with ensuring the skills and expertise needed are there, to support national transitions.
Secondly, UN Resident Coordinators must be supported to help governments expand and improve partnerships, know how, financing, and development solutions.
Next, he underscored the need for collaboration where humanitarian, development and security challenges interact.
“It is not about blurring mandates or resources; it is about ensuring that our assets are deployed coherently to support countries on their sustainable development priorities,” stressed the UN chief.
Business operations need to improve “to make every dollar count”, and finally, regional collaboration must be strengthened to support Resident Coordinators and country teams – all of which requires “adequate, predictable and sustainable funding”.
As the world’s multiple crises raise the bar ever higher, the UN chief assured that the UN was ready to scale up to meet expectations.
Addressing challenges multilaterally
Joining virtually from Gaborone, Botswana, ECOSOC President Collen Kelapile observed that the pandemic – coupled with other pre-existing challenges such as the climate crisis, protracted conflicts and now the Ukraine war – “are generating all-time high humanitarian needs and setting back decades of development progress”.
He said that the international community must work together to “accelerate action to achieve a transformative post-COVID-19 recovery, as well as redouble our efforts to deliver the SDGs for a better future for all”.
“Multilateralism, international cooperation and global solidarity are the only effective ways of dealing with current and emerging global challenges,” he added.
Financing core
The ECOSOC President shared his concern over the long-lasting impacts of scaling down core development resources for reallocation to immediate humanitarian needs, particularly on sustaining the decades-long development achievements.
Moreover, a critical funding gap for UN development agencies must be addressed along with the imbalance between core and non-core resources.
“We must, therefore, acknowledge the high-level of importance the programme countries accord to the core development mandate of the UN Development Agencies and work to effectively support these countries towards achieving the SDGs during the remainder of the Decade of Action,” he said.
Calling for help
General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid, spoke of the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of UN system operational activities during the pandemic in late 2020.
For the first time, it explicitly calls for the UN development system to support social protection, universal health coverage, and education along with assisting the most vulnerable and reinforcing rights-based approaches and gender equality.
“The General Assembly also called for supporting countries in the mobilization of resources and partnerships” and ensuring the sustainability of its operations, said Mr. Shahid.
Seeing the journey through
Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed lauded the many returns on investments in development coordination, namely “independent, authoritative leadership; strengthened convening and better coordination; and improved operational efficiency for more ambitious results”.
However, amidst a continued funding shortfall, the ultimate objective of advancing the 2030 Agenda is at risk.
“Reversing this trend, and closing the funding gap, must remain an absolute priority,” she said.
“We must continue the journey together over these next eight years, in earnest, with a sense of urgency, and at the scale needed to keep the promise of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs,” concluded the Deputy UN chief.
Hans Grunberg noted that the first flight to leave the Houthi-controlled airport in Sana’a – since not long after fighting intensified between the rebel forces there and the Saudi-backed coalition supporting the internationally-recognized Government – had been a key part of the Truce agreement last month.
“This should be a moment of coming together to do more, start repairing what the war has broken &follow through on all the Truce commitments. I expect the parties to meet their obligations, including by urgently meeting to agree on opening roads on #Taiz &elsewhere in #Yemen” pic.twitter.com/HxfT6HSpSz
The flight took off just after 9AM local time, heading for Amman, Jordan, carrying 130 Yemeni passengers. In his statement, Mr. Grunberg expressed his gratitude to the Jordanian Government for their invaluable support, “and for the constructive cooperation by the Government of Yemen in facilitating the flight.”
“I would like to congratulate all Yemenis on this important and long-awaited step”, the UN envoy said.
Come together ‘to do more’
“I hope this provides some relief to the Yemenis who need to seek medical treatment abroad, pursue education and business opportunities, or reunite with loved ones,” Mr. Grundberg added.
“This should be a moment of coming together to do more, to start repairing what the war has broken, and to follow through on all the Truce commitments to build trust and move towards resuming a political process to sustainably end the conflict.”
Mr. Grundberg stressed that intense efforts are being exerted to support the parties in fulfilling all the commitments they made when the agreed to this Truce.
A promise
“These commitments were essentially a promise to Yemenis”, he said, “a promise of more security, better access to basic goods and services, and improved freedom of movement within, to and from Yemen.
“Making progress towards opening roads in Taiz is key for the fulfillment of this promise. I expect the parties to meet their obligations, including by urgently meeting to agree on opening roads on Taiz and other governorates in Yemen as per the terms of the Truce agreement,” Mr. Grundberg concluded.
The office serves as the UN’s operational arm, dedicated to implementing projects for the Organization, international financial institutions, governments and other partners around the world.
‘Uplifting lives’
The development came following the resignation yesterday of Executive Director Grete Faremo.
“It has been my great privilege to lead UNOPS. I continue to be proud of UNOPS’ achievements and unprecedented growth over these last eight years,” Ms. Faremo said.
“I hope my decision will allow UNOPS to focus on its vital work uplifting the lives of vulnerable people around the world,” she added.
UNOPS eagerly awaits the outcome of the probe underway by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).
In a statement, UNOPS affirmed its commitment to working closely with the Secretary-General’s office during the transition, and said that it has already begun implementing continuity plans to ensure Ms. Faremo’s departure would not affect regular project activities.
Keeping the ship on course
While the Secretary-General launches a recruitment process – in consultation with the UNOPS Executive Board – to find a successor to Ms. Faremo, Mr. Wandel will take the reins, effective today.
Most recently serving as the UN Special Adviser on Reforms, the acting UNOPS chief will be granted all the necessary support for a smooth transition.
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