Amid the United Nation ’s 75th anniversary, the international organization celebrated in the midst of one of the worst health crisis it has faced since its creation in 1945.
Now, the circumstances have forced the UN to organize a virtual summit , where speeches were replaced by a series of videos where presidents voiced their concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, advocated the rapid development of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, and called for the strengthening of the universal fraternity during times when there has been tension between China and the United States.
The tension between both countries, one is in decline while the other is on the rise, has increased since the pandemic started. Moreover, just like during the previous century, there is a race between Russia and the U.S.; however, this time the race is not to conquer space, but inside the body, as the two nations are on the race to find the first vaccine against COVID-19.
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized both countries and warned against "vaccinationalism." He added that these countries are only thinking about developing a vaccine for their citizens, disregarding the rest of humanity.
Guterres voiced his concern during a time when the U.S. registered over 200,000 coronavirus-related deaths. Nevertheless, during his message to the UN, Donald Trump accused China of spreading the virus without warning the world. In response, President Xi Jinping said Washington spread a “political virus” against Beijing.
Both leaders should keep in mind that Secretary-General António Guterres said that amid the fight against COVID-19, science must guide world leaders, not populism because as Guterres said, populism and nationalism have both failed. He emphasized that when it comes to handling the pandemic through a populist vision, this has led to a surge in contagions. It is necessary to take a new path regarding the world’s health policies because there is no time to waste in accusations regarding populism and nationalism.
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