The U.N. Security Council, in a July 1 videoconference meeting, announced its decision to adopt a resolution expressing its support for the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire, which he issued in March to help unite efforts to fight COVID-19 in the most vulnerable countries.
The U.N. Security Council yesterday unanimously adopted a resolution calling for a 90-day global ceasefire as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage around the world.
In the resolution, the U.N. Security Council asked "all parties to armed conflicts to engage immediately in a durable humanitarian pause for at least 90 consecutive days" as many countries are struggling to contain the novel coronavirus.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres raised the idea of a global ceasefire in March as a way to help united efforts against the virus outbreak in the most vulnerable countries. But it took more than three months for the council to adopt the resolution, due partly to disagreements between the United States and China.
The proposed ceasefire will "enable the safe, unhindered and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance," the Security Council said.
However, the ceasefire resolution does not apply to some military operations such as those against the Islamic State in Iraq, the Security Council said.
The Council requested the Secretary-General to help ensure that all relevant parts of the United Nations system, including country teams, accelerate their response to the COVID-19 pandemic with an emphasis on countries in need, including those in situations of armed conflict or affected by humanitarian crises.
The 15-member organ also requested the Secretary-General to provide updates on the Organization’s efforts to address the coronavirus in countries facing situations of armed conflict or affected by humanitarian crises, as well as on the impact of COVID-19 on the ability of peacekeeping operations and special political missions to deliver their mandated priority tasks.
