UN Security Council approves coronavirus resolution after deadlock



New York (dpa) - The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a coronavirus resolution, after more than three months of deadlock over a response to the crisis.

All 15 council members voted to pass the text even before the Wednesday deadline to submit their votes, diplomats told dpa.



The resolution, submitted by France and Tunisia, is set to be officially adopted later in the day.
The text focuses on backing UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' March 23 call for a global ceasefire so that the world can concentrate on tackling the outbreak.
The resolution "demands a general and immediate cessation of hostilities in all situations on its agenda," and "calls upon all parties to armed conflicts to engage immediately in a durable humanitarian pause for at least 90 consecutive days."
Attempts by the powerful 15-member panel to pass a coronavirus resolution had been hampered by a dispute between the United States and China over the role of the World Health Organization (WHO).
US President Donald Trump accuses the WHO of acting in China's favour and did not want to see it mentioned in any resolution, while Beijing did.
The latest text includes no direct mention of the WHO, referring instead to "relevant parts of the United Nations system" and an April General Assembly resolution which does acknowledge the agency's role in the global response to the pandemic.
The council has come under fire for its disunity in the face of the global crisis, with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas describing it as "evidence of incapacity."

Wednesday, July 1st 2020
(dpa)
           


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