World leader at the UN urges increased global unity and partnerships
The United Nations, under the leadership of Secretary-General António Guterres, continues to fight against disease, hunger, and poverty worldwide, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a recent address, Guterres called for international cooperation to prevent future pandemics, emphasizing the importance of global unity in combating health crises.
Guterres has been a staunch defender of the World Health Organization (WHO), facing criticism from US President Donald Trump regarding the organization's alleged closeness to China. However, Guterres has consistently maintained that the people at the WHO are not controlled by any state. He has also acknowledged that there may have been mistakes in the WHO's response to the coronavirus outbreak, but he does not believe that the WHO intentionally helped China cover up the outbreak.
The UN's efforts have not gone unnoticed. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the organization has distributed 250 million masks, gowns, and gloves, and UN aid has reached 110 million people in 64 countries. These actions highlight the WHO's central role in global health governance and its commitment to providing essential support during crises.
Guterres also emphasized the need for multilateral agreements, such as the WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted in 2025, which aims to enhance pandemic preparedness through collective disease surveillance and equitable vaccine access while respecting national sovereignty.
In the face of a potential future pandemic as quick as Corona but as deadly as Ebola, Guterres calls for sustained and increased international funding and collaboration in health and development sectors. He warns about the consequences of reduced US funding for development aid and pandemic response efforts, underscoring the need for global development cooperation, including health security, irrespective of US political positions.
Guterres' stance reinforces the WHO as a key institution for coordinated global health action. Despite political pressure to undermine these efforts, he views strengthening international health cooperation and upholding the WHO as critical pillars for effectively preventing and managing future pandemics.
[1] UN News, "UN chief calls for a collective approach to pandemic preparedness," 26 May 2020, https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/05/1061762
[2] World Health Organization, "WHO Pandemic Agreement," 2025, https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-pandemic-agreement
[3] Devex, "Guterres calls for 'rev up' in global development cooperation," 12 June 2020, https://www.devex.com/news/guterres-calls-for-rev-up-in-global-development-cooperation-96830
[4] The Guardian, "António Guterres calls for increased funding for health and development," 12 June 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jun/12/antonio-guterres-calls-for-increased-funding-for-health-and-development
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