UN General Assembly
2021

As the international community present here today, we would all agree that this pandemic was not just a health crisis: but a multifaceted one, due to its domino effect upon our humanitarian, security, human rights and socioeconomic stability. We mourn the tragic loss of life it has caused, despite all our efforts. These are immensely challenging times, and as country leaders we have to also deal with increasing isolation and the fear that COVID-19 caused among our citizens. The height of the pandemic necessitated unprecedented sacrifice and restrictions that affected our freedom of movement, severely disrupted the education of children and young people, left millions jobless, and isolated the most vulnerable around the world. Yet this experience also taught us that we could defeat hopelessness by supporting each other, by pooling our knowledge base, our scientific research and by offering humanitarian support. It is this spirit of multilateralism that supported our determination to tackle the pandemic, and it is this same spirit that will enable us to build a strong and sustainable future together.