9 September 2020























China’s delegate, noting that COVID-19 is still raging across the world, and some countries are seeing a looming second wave, said nothing is more important and urgent than combating the virus, saving lives and restoring peace.  Hostilities should end, and parties to conflicts should stop fighting immediately and unconditionally.  Life should be prioritized, and humanitarian assistance be increased, he said, emphasizing that WHO should be supported to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on fragile countries and vulnerable populations.  Unilateral sanctions should be lifted to lessen the sufferings of affected peoples, he said, urging nations to lift coercive measures.  Equal emphasis should be put on ceasefires and containing the pandemic.  In the spirit of putting people’s lives first, China prevents and contains the pandemic in a comprehensive, prompt and effective manner, while promoting international cooperation, having sent 34 medical expert teams to 32 countries, provided 283 batches of anti-epidemic supplies to 150 countries and 4 international organizations, and exported medical supplies to more than 200 countries.  Last week, China proposed an international mechanism on mutual recognition of COVID-related health certification.  China President Xi Jinping announced at the World Health Assembly in May that a COVID-19 vaccine, when developed and deployed in the country, will be shared with other nations through various channels.  Making vaccines accessible to everyone is the only way to realize universal health, he said, adding that:  “We should stick to a win-win concept rather than [a] zero-sum mentality.”  Vaccines should not be stockpiled or monopolized, nor should they be used as political tools.  His delegation hopes to see countries cooperate to advance vaccine development and production, making them accessible and affordable to all, he said, noting that China is ready to join other countries in implementing resolution 2532 (2020), form a united front against the pandemic and build a community based on a shared future for mankind.


Viet Nam’s delegate said that the pandemic and its impacts have been alluded to in most if not all contexts on the Council’s agenda, multiplying and exacerbating the already difficult challenges of conflict-affected countries and populations.  Going forward, a ceasefire is a must.  The United Nations and regional organizations can and should continue to support effective implementation of the ceasefire, including through mediation efforts.  People must be protected, so the Council must continue to galvanize collective efforts to assist conflict‑affected countries in reinforcing preparedness, response and recovery from COVID-19 and to fight for sustainable peace.  At the same time, peacekeeping remains an integral tool to multilateral strategies to establish a stable environment for sustaining peace and triggering development, which must be part of a long-term response to pandemics.  It is essential that peacekeeping and political missions continue to make peace work in the “new normal”, he said, reiterating his delegation’s call for international cooperation and coordination in fighting the pandemic as no country is safe from and can fight COVID-19 alone.


The representative of the United Kingdom, responding to China’s remarks on sanctions, said “it’s a shame that there has been some intentional blurring of issues on sanctions and attempts to take advantage of a potential COVID-19-related tragedy”.  His country and the European Union impose sanctions on Damascus, specifically targeting those responsible for human rights abuses against ordinary Syrians and those who support or benefit from the Assad regime’s “corruption and murderous activity”.  Sanctions don’t apply to food, medicine, medical equipment or medical assistance.  “Put simply, the problem facing Syria’s health sector is not sanctions, but rather that the regime is more intent on bombing hospitals than building them and the restrictions imposed on cross-border aid”.  Humanitarian exemptions apply to sanctions regimes mitigating the impact of sanctions on humanitarian programmes.  The issue in Syria is a chronic mismanagement of its economy by a corrupt regime and its friends.

Belgium’s representative, recalling that resolution 2532 (2020) adopted on 1 July called for a 90-day ceasefire, said that the outlook does not look promising and the call for a global ceasefire did not have the effect hoped for, while the COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading and weakening the health systems in conflict areas.  Libya, Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan are just a few of the worrisome examples in this respect, he said, stressing the need to continue implementing that resolution.  He urged Member States to provide the United Nations with the support it needs to implement its mandates, while commending the work done by the Organization in countering hate speech, mis- and disinformation, including through the “Verified” initiative.  He also highlighted the plight of refugees and internally displaced children as education came under attack.  “To fight these multiple crises, a coordinated global response is the only way forward,” he said.


Estonia’s delegate said some countries that are ravaged by conflicts, violence and human rights violations have made dealing with the pandemic nearly impossible.  As such, he reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for a humanitarian ceasefire.  “We must focus our efforts to dealing with the pandemic, not fighting,” he said, citing cases where the pandemic was used as a pretext, including a campaign for lifting restrictive measures, a rise in disinformation and attacks against the health-care sector, both physical and cyber.  Some Governments have curbed United Nations peacekeepers’ freedom of movement, which, in turn, affects the ability to help people in need.  There are also undeniable risks posed by the pandemic for the rights of women, including through gender‑based violence and violations of human rights.  Women’s role in their societies’ response to COVID-19, including in conflict and post-conflict situations, is crucial, as they represent the majority of health workers.  To beat the pandemic, he said, “we need to show solidarity and trust; we need to be transparent with each other.  Without a coordinated response, we cannot win.”



Also participating in the meeting were representatives of the Dominican Republic, Germany and the Russian Federation.


* Based on information received from the Security Council Affairs Division.

For information media. Not an official record.