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By Ronald Joshua
ROME | MADRID (IDN) – Tourism has been brought to a near-standstill by COVID-19, but the World Travel Organization (UNWTO) believes that once the pandemic has passed, the industry, which accounts for 10 per cent of global GDP, is in a unique position to help put the global economy back on its feet.
UNWTO is closely monitoring the new coronavirus crisis from its Madrid headquarters and collaborating with other UN agencies in finding ways to mitigate its impact.
Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona
The writer is former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, and former Foreign Secretary.
Henry Kissinger, in one of his infrequent statements said, "When the COVID-19 pandemic is over, many countries' institutions will be perceived as having failed. Whether this judgment is objectively fair is irrelevant. The reality is the world will never be the same after the coronavirus. To argue now about the past only makes it harder to do what has to be done". Countries must adjust and adapt and also move with the times. Responding proactively to the challenge of COVID-19 is key.
By J Nastranis
NEW YORK (IDN) – New research published by the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) warns that the economic fallout from the global pandemic could increase global poverty by as much as half a billion people, or 8% of the total human population. This would be the first time that poverty has increased globally in thirty years, since 1990.
The authors of the UNU-WIDER study – Andy Sumner and Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez of King’s College London and Chris Hoy from Australian National University – find that a setback of this size would reverse a decade of global progress on poverty reduction.
Viewpoint by Kate Guy*
OXFORD (IDN) – How might a single threat, even one deemed unlikely, spiral into an evolving global crisis which challenges the foundations of global security, economic stability and democratic governance, all in the matter of a few weeks?
My research on threats to national security, governance and geopolitics has focused on exactly this question, albeit with a focus on the disruptive potential of climate change, rather than a novel coronavirus. In recent work alongside intelligence and defence experts at the think-tank Center for Climate and Security,
By Pedro Telles
The writer is 2018-19 Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity at the International Inequalities Institute, London School of Economics.
SÃO PAULO (IDN) – Tens of millions of Brazilians have begun receiving basic income payments aimed at addressing the economic impact of COVID-19, following Congress' approval of a bill prompted by a country-wide grassroots campaign that began just three weeks ago.
By J Nastranis
NEW YORK (IDN) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a potential "second wave" of COVID-19 infections. The warning comes as some European countries have begun to relax lockdown measures following weeks of confinement introduced to halt the spread of the new coronavirus. In an update to strategic advice to Governments, the UN health agency called for greater support for health services.
By Jaya Ramachandran
PARIS (IDN) – As billions of people find themselves either in lockdown or on the front lines combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the first celebration of World Art Day on April 15 is a timely reminder that "art has the power to unite and connect in times of crisis", the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.
"Bringing people together, inspiring, soothing and sharing: these are the powers of art, the importance of which has been made emphatically obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic", Audrey Azoulay said in her message.
By Jaya Ramachandran with IOM Press Release
GENEVA (IDN) – In the face of the number of rising new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has expanded the scope of its Global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) to include far-reaching interventions that aim to mitigate the dire health and socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. A revised appeal was launched on April 15 for $499 million to support vital preparedness, response and recovery activities in over 140 countries.
By J Nastranis
NEW YORK (IDN) – While upholding the importance of international solidarity in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, a "dangerous enemy" to all humanity, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has regretted "the decision of the President of the United States to order a halt in funding" to the UN health agency.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was speaking to journalists on April 15, one day after President Donald Trump announced that it was cutting funding to the UN health agency, pending a review of how the agency responded to the initial outbreak in China that first surfaced at the very end of December.
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network
NEW YORK (IDN) – Funds for 19 strapped African countries have been approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in light of the impact of COVID-19 on economies and livelihoods.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on April 13 the funds will be applied to the most vulnerable members to cover their debt obligations.
The list includes: Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome, Sierra Leone and Togo.
This interactive WHO dashboard/map provides the latest global numbers and numbers by country of COVID-19 cases on a daily Basis.
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