ECOSOC High-level Informal Briefing - Joining Forces: Effective Policy Solutions for COVID-19 Response - Monday, 11 May

"At this time of great uncertainty and global disruption, it is clear we need a coordinated international effort in the spirit of multilateralism."  ECOSOC President, H.E. Ambassador Mona Juul. 

The President of the Economic and Social Council, H.E. Ambassador Mona Juul, is convening an informal ECOSOC Briefing on “Joining Forces: Effective Policy Solutions for Covid-19 Response” on 11 May 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on a virtual platform.

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Update on Commission on Population and Development negotiations

On 1 May the Chair of the Bureau for the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) circulated the attached letter in which he said that the” potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security and nutrition, and on population and sustainable development more broadly, is too immense. The upcoming session is a unique opportunity for the Commission to launch a call to action to the international community, and to express its solidarity with the most vulnerable people.” 

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Joint press statement Protecting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Promoting Gender-responsiveness in the COVID-19 crisis

The attached joint press statement on Protecting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Promoting Gender-responsiveness in the COVID-19 Crisis has been facilitated by the South African and Swedish ambassadors to the UN, with the secretariat of the Nexus group of countries. It is a formal commitment from 38 Ministers on behalf of 59 countries that have signed up to it through their UN missions.

UN General Assembly during the COVID-19 pandemic

Processes have been developed during the past months to ensure that the work of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) continues albeit in a more truncated way. For those of us who live away from New York it may, however, be more difficult to find out information as to what is happening. Hopefully this posting will help to demystify some of the processes.

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Statement on the third meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

A third meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), met by teleconference on Thursday, 30 April 2020. Membership of the Committee was expanded to reflect the nature of the pandemic and the need to include additional areas of expertise. 

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Statement on negotiating sustainable development in a COVID-19 environment – lessons learned

The attached statement, signed by a number of organizations, has been submitted to the 2020 ECOSOC High-level Segment, which will be guided by the theme for the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on “Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.”

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UN General Assembly resolution “International cooperation to ensure global access to medicines, vaccines and medical equipment to face COVID-19”

A General Assembly Resolution “International cooperation to ensure global access to medicines, vaccines and medical equipment to face COVID-19” (A/74/L.56) was adopted on 20 April under silence procedure. It states that the current crisis calls for:

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Please take our 5-minute COVID-19 Survey, in 60+ languages

Please see a note below from SDG Advocate Jeffrey Sachs inviting you to participate in some global COVID-19 research! Please feel free to forward widely.  

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Online briefing on ECOSOC and HLPF

H.E. Ms. Susan Eckey, Ambassador for ECOSOC in the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations in New York, will hold an informal briefing to inform all ECOSOC accredited NGOs and Major Groups and other Stakeholders of the upcoming ECOSOC activities.

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Deadline (27 April 2020) : Open Call for Oral and Written Statements for the 2020 ECOSOC High Level Segment

The Office for Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has recently published on its website an open call for oral and written statements for the 2020 ECOSOC High Level Segment (HLS) for NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC. 

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