請更新您的瀏覽器

您使用的瀏覽器版本較舊,已不再受支援。建議您更新瀏覽器版本,以獲得最佳使用體驗。

Eng

UN chief reiterates global ceasefire appeal as world fights COVID-19

XINHUA

發布於 2020年04月03日19:37

"A substantial number of parties to conflict have expressed their acceptance for the call," Guterres noted.

UNITED NATIONS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that the international community should focus only on the battle against its common enemy of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is sweeping the entire world and bringing tremendous socio-economic impacts.

"The global ceasefire appeal is resonating across the world," Guterres said at a virtual press briefing.

Ten days ago, the UN chief had called for an immediate ceasefire "in all corners of the globe" to reinforce diplomatic action, help create conditions for the delivery of lifesaving aid, and bring hope to places that are among the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The pandemic is having profound social, economic and political consequences, including relating to international peace and security," he said at the briefing. "There should be only one fight in our world today: our shared battle against COVID-19."

Photo taken on April 3, 2020 shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking at a virtual press briefing at the United Nations headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/Xie E)

According to the UN chief, his global ceasefire appeal has been endorsed by "an ever-growing number of member states, some 70 so far, regional partners, non-state actors, civil society networks and organizations, and all UN messengers of peace and advocates for the Sustainable Development Goals."

"Religious leaders… have added their moral voice in support of a global ceasefire, as have citizens through grassroots mobilization online," the UN chief added.

"A substantial number of parties to conflict have expressed their acceptance for the call," he noted.

In the meantime, the UN chief pointed out that "there is a huge distance between declarations and deeds -- between translating words into peace on the ground and in the lives of people."

"There are enormous difficulties to implementation as conflicts have festered for years, distrust is deep, with many spoilers and many suspicions," he said. "In many of the most critical situations, we have seen no let-up in fighting -- and some conflicts have even intensified."

The secretary-general, therefore, called for "robust diplomatic efforts to meet these challenges."

"To silence the guns, we must raise the voices for peace," said Guterres.

A landmine victim sits inside his house in Midi District of Hajjah Province, Yemen, Feb. 24, 2020. According to the United Nations, thousands of landmines, unexploded ordnance, and other explosive remnants of war have been left behind during the ongoing conflict in Yemen. (Photo by Mohammed Alwafi/Xinhua)

Talking about the "intense diplomatic push," he cited a number of examples to illustrate his point.

"In Yemen, despite expressed support for a ceasefire by the government, Ansar Allah and many other parties -- including the Joint Forces Command -- the conflict has spiked," he said, adding that his special envoy for Yemen "is working on preparations to convene the parties to discuss COVID-19 crisis management and a nationwide ceasefire mechanism."

In Syria, where the first COVID-19 related deaths have now been reported, Guterres said his special envoy appealed for a "complete and immediate" nationwide ceasefire in the country to allow for an all-out-effort against COVID-19.

A disabled girl sits in a sofa at her home in Aleppo city, northern Syria, on March 10, 2020. Some 4.8 million children have been born in Syria since the conflict began nine years ago. An additional 1 million have been born as refugees in neighboring countries. They continue to face the devastating consequences of a brutal war, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Sunday. (Photo by Hummam Sheikh Ali/Xinhua)

"The Idlib ceasefire previously negotiated by Turkey and the Russian Federation is holding," he said. "But it is essential that a permanent nationwide ceasefire take effect to allow for expansions in humanitarian access to all those suffering for the last decade."

Guterres also talked about the development regarding his ceasefire appeal in Libya and Afghanistan.

"I call on all those that can make a difference to make that difference: to urge and pressure combatants around the world to put down their arms," he said.

(Article by Xinhua Reporter Wang Jiangang; Video by Xinhua Reporter Xie E)  

0 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0