Here's the letter from Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres:
"The recovery from the COVID-19 crisis must lead to a different economy"
31 March 2020
The world is facing an unprecedented test. And this is the moment of truth.
Hundreds of thousands of people are falling seriously ill from COVID-19, and the disease is spreading exponentially in many places,
Societies are in turmoil and economies are in a nose-dive.
The International Monetary Fund has reassessed the prospect for growth for 2020 and 2021, declaring that we have entered a recession – as bad as or worse than in 2009.
We must respond decisively, innovatively and together to suppress the spread of the virus and address the socio-economic devastation that COVID-19 is causing in all regions.
The magnitude of the response must match the scale of the crisis -- large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive, with country and international responses being guided by the World Health Organization.
And it must be multilateral, with countries showing solidarity to the most vulnerable communities and nations.
The message of the report we are issuing today is clear: shared responsibility and global solidarity in response to the impacts of COVID-19.
It is a call to action.
We must see countries not only united to beat the virus but also to tackle its profound consequences.First, for an immediate coordinated health response to suppress transmission and end the pandemic....MUCH MORE
The Communiqué (okay, press release) 4 page PDF:
Launch of report on socio-economic impacts of COVID-19:
PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Secretary-General launches plan to address the potentially devastating socio-economic impacts of COVID-19
Establishes global fund to support low- and middle-income countries
NEW YORK, 31 MARCH 2020—The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is attacking societies at their core, claiming lives and people’s livelihoods. The potential longer-term effects on the global economy and those of individual countries are dire.
In a new report, Shared responsibility, global solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, the United Nations Secretary-General calls on everyone to act together to address this impact and lessen the blow to people.
The report describes the speed and scale of the outbreak, the severity of cases, and the societal and economic disruption of COVID-19, which has so far claimed the lives of 33 257 people, with 697 244 confirmed cases in 204 countries, areas and territories1.
“COVID-19 is the greatest test that we have faced together since the formation of the United Nations,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. “This human crisis demands coordinated, decisive, inclusive and innovative policy action from the world’s leading economies – and maximum financial and technical support for the poorest and most vulnerable people and countries.”
The report comes after the IMF has announced that the world has entered into a recession as bad or worse than in 2009. The report calls for a large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive multilateral response amounting to at least 10 percent of global GDP....MUCH MORE
And the report:
Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19
(26 page PDF)
Page 1:
....A large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive multilateral response amounting to at least 10 per cent of global GDP is needed now more than ever. This crisis is truly global. It is in everyone’s interest to ensure that developing countries have the best chance of managing this crisis, or COVID-19 will risk becoming a long-lasting brake on economic recovery.HT the plan had been released: Finanz Nachrichten, April 1.
