Antonio Guterres calls for ‘global ceasefire' amid pandemic

UN chief says COVID-19 does not care about nationality or ethnicity, faction or faith

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an ‘immediate global ceasefire’ on Tuesday as deaths surged across the globe and crossed 16,500 as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic. .

Taking to Twitter, Guterres stated that COVID-19 does not care about nationality or ethnicity, faction or faith.

“It attacks all, relentlessly,” he stressed

#COVID19 does not care about nationality or ethnicity, faction or faith. It attacks all, relentlessly.

Meanwhile, armed conflict rages on around the world and the most vulnerable pay the highest price.

That's why I'm calling for an immediate global ceasefire.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 24, 2020

Guterres urged countries to end the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world – the coronavirus pandemic.

“It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now,” he said in a message adding that this is what the human family needs.

It’s time to end the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world – the #coronavirus pandemic.

It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now.

That is what our human family needs, now more than ever.https://t.co/K08WmglU2X

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 23, 2020

He further added that women and children, people with disabilities, the marginalized and the displaced pay the highest price during conflict and are also at the highest risk of suffering devastating losses from COVID-19.

“Let’s not forget that in war-ravaged countries, health systems have collapsed. Health professionals, already few in number, have often been targeted.  Refugees and others displaced by violent conflict are doubly vulnerable,” the secretary-general elaborated.

The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war, he added.

He urged nations to take inspiration from coalitions and dialogue slowly taking shape among rival parties to enable joint approaches to COVID-19.