As several countries around the world faced another wave of COVID-19 cases, the UN called upon the United States to lead a vaccination plan against the pandemic that has troubled world economies and taken a heavy toll on humans.
The United States is nearing its goal of vaccinating around 100 million people within the 100 days of President Joe Biden’s Administration that has also been working to maximize the availability of the magazine.
American vaccines including Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson have been effective against the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Since its breakout in 2019 the virus has affected the U.S. more than any other country. On the other hand, the U.S. has the capacity to step up production of the vaccine for the world once it immunizes its own people.
The UN call came during a virtual meeting between Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“I welcome the many initiatives the new United States administration has already taken to support multilateral responses to global challenges and to strengthen cooperation between the US and the UN”, said the UN chief in the meeting, also attended by America’s new UN Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
Guterres lauded Washington’s rejoining the Paris Agreement, re-committing to the World Health Organization (WHO) in the face of the continuing coronavirus pandemic, and re-engaging with the Human Rights Council, as Biden Administration did away with the previous Trump administration’s retreat from the multilateral stage.
U.S. Army Spc. Reagan Long, a horizontal construction engineer assigned to the 827th Engineer Company, 204th Engineering Battalion, 53rd Troop Command, New York Army National Guard, alongside Pfc. Naomi Velez, a horizontal construction engineer assigned to the 152nd Engineer Support Company, 42nd Infantry Division, register people at a COVID-19 Mobile Testing Center in Glenn Island Park, New Rochelle, Mar. 14, 2020. Members of the Army and Air National Guard from across several states have been activated under Operation COVID-19 to support federal, state and local efforts. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Amouris Coss)
“The commitment and contribution of the United States are essential to resolve the many serious global challenges we face – starting with the COVID-19 pandemic”, Guterres said.
“To end the pandemic everywhere, I have been insisting and I strongly believe we need a global vaccination plan, and I think the United States can play a very important role on this because, as you know, I have proposed that the G20 should establish an emergency task force to develop and coordinate such a plan but there is no way that this can work without an effective American leadership.”
Top American diplomat Blinken said the UN was “the anchor of the multilateral system”, which the Biden administration sees as “vitally important”.
“When we think about virtually all of the problems and challenges that are actually going to affect the lives – are affecting the lives – of our citizens, whether it’s COVID-19, whether it’s climate, whether it is the disruption of emerging technologies, not a single one can be dealt with by any one country acting alone, even the United States”, he said.
“We need to find ways to cooperate, to coordinate, to tackle problems together. And of course, the United Nations is where countries come together to work on common challenges.”
