UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council plans to call for a 90-day “humanitarian pause” in conflicts worldwide as part of the ongoing struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a draft resolution obtained by AFP Tuesday. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on March 23 called for an immediate global cease-fire. The new draft resolution however would only cover countries whose conflicts are already currently under scrutiny by Security Council, including Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Mali, Central African Republic, Libya, Colombia and Sudan. On March 25, the UN announced a “humanitarian plan” to send aid to the countries most vulnerable to the pandemic and asked for more than $2 billion. Two-thirds of the funds could be provided by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, according to the estimate.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer April 29, 2020 00:09 UTC