Special Session on COVID 19: Programme details (as at 27 November)

Draft provisional programme details for the Special Session of the General Assembly in response to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic, to be held on 3-4 December 2020, have now been made available.  

In addition to the President of the General Assembly and the UN Secretary-General, statements will be made in the Opening Session on 3 December by the President of the Economic and Social Council, the President of the Security Council for the month of December 2020 (South Africa) and the Chair of Non-Aligned Countries (Azerbaijan). This will be followed by the General Debate, with a “limited number of representatives from relevant organizations attending the session…”, time permitting.

The programme on 4 December will commence with statements by the President of the General Assembly and the Deputy Secretary-General, after which there will be a presentation by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 

The Interactive Dialogue, which will include in-person presentations, live-virtual engagement, and pre-recorded content, will then begin with Panel I: The UN System Response to COVID-19. It will be moderated by Melissa Fleming, Under Secretary General for Global Communication (in person). The panelists will be:

• Dr Tedros (virtual)
• Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (in person)
• Michelle Bachelet Jeria, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (virtual)
• Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (in person)
• Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (virtual)
• Inger Ashing, CEO, Save the Children International (virtual)

“This discussion will take stock of the UN system’s response to the COVID- 19 pandemic. It will examine comprehensive and coordinated responses of UN entities and partners, focusing on the most vulnerable people and those disproportionally impacted in different operational contexts, including those in low-resource settings, conflict situations, and displaced communities. The role of, and impact on, women and girls will be a focus, particularly women as front-line responders. The discussion will outline what has worked well, identify operational and policy gaps as well as lessons learned. It will highlight actions required for the continued immediate humanitarian and health response, protection of human rights, and the launch of urgent economic recovery and social protection measures.” 

Panel II: The Road to a COVID-19 Vaccine – A Global Public Good will be moderated by Lyse Doucet, BBC Presented and Chief International Correspondent (virtual) and will consist of two parts. 

Part I: The Science will include: 

• Dr Tedros (virtual)
• Prof Uğur Şahin and Dr Özlem Türeci of BioNTech (virtual)
• Prof Sarah Gilbert, Oxford University/AstraZeneca (virtual).
• Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer, Serum Institute of India, in a pre-recorded video

Part II: Vaccines for All will comprise:

• Dr Seth Berkley, Chief Executive Officer of GAVI (virtual)
• Henrietta H Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF (virtual)
• Dr Richard Hatchett, Chief Executive Officer, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) (virtual) 
• Sir Andrew Witty, WHO Special Envoy for ACT-Accelerator (virtual)

“Significant progress has been made in developing new tools and strategies in the fight against COVID-19, including vaccines, as the result of unprecedented international collaboration, much-needed investments, and world-class scientific efforts in research and development. The world is at a critical acceleration point in the vaccine development and deployment timeline, poised to turn the corner into the vaccine era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this dedicated discussion on a COVID-19 vaccine is to breakdown the process of vaccine development and address the ‘infodemic’ around it in publicly digestible terms. How many vaccines are currently being tested and at which stages in the process is each one? How will vaccines be produced and distributed? How is the multilateral system working with governments and private sector partners to ensure the equitable distribution of, and access to, a COVID-19 vaccine as a global public good? How are the financial resources required to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tools, including a vaccine, being mobilized? What other testing and treatments need to be readily accessible, pending the universal access to vaccines?”

Panel III: Resilience and Recovering Better from COVID-19 will be moderated by Femi Oke, an international journalist (virtual). The panelists will include:

• [Dr Tedros] (virtual) (TBC)
• David R Malpass, President of the World Bank Group (virtual) (TBC)
• Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women ((virtual)
• Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labor Organization (virtual)
• Pavan Sukhdev, President, World Wildlife Federation International /UNEP Goodwill Ambassador (virtual)

“This discussion will examine the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and consider the path toward a resilient recovery, including the requisite preparedness for future threats. There will be a focus on in trade and finance, including inclusive stimulus and recovery packages, addressing debt crises ensuing from the pandemic, mobilizing investment that support sustainable solutions and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The discussion will highlight opportunities for accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through recovery plans and policies that favour inclusion, sustainability and resilience—such as expanding universal protection; promoting green jobs; making sustainable food systems; and increasing digital connectivity.”  

The Special Session will conclude with the Closing Segment

(Timings etc are available here )