G77, China support WHO amid crisis

The Group of 77 and China have extended full support and appreciation for the work of the World Health Organization, or WHO, calling for international solidarity, multilateral cooperation and partnership in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The largest intergovernmental organization comprising developing countries, the Geneva-based G77, in concert with China, issued a statement on Sunday in support of the WHO, which follows the group's first statement on COVID-19 on April 3.

The joint statement said the countries were "deeply concerned at the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most serious public health crises in modern history", stressing that "the first priority is to save lives".

"The group, therefore, acknowledges the leading role of the World Health Organization led by its director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and extends its full support and appreciation for its work in providing information, technical guidance, training and other assistance to developing countries to help them prepare for and efficiently respond to the pandemic," the G77 statement said.

The G77 and China echoed the view of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasizing that "unity must prevail, so that the international community can work together in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences".

The G77 statement also said: "The international community must unite in its efforts to ensure access to scientific guidance, training, equipment, essential medical supplies, and concrete lifesaving services to countries in greatest need, and in regions where the full impact is yet to be felt."

Critical, central role

The document called on "all members of the global community to maintain and, where possible, increase their support for the WHO, which, by the mandate given to it by member states, has a critical and central role to play in supporting developing countries to confront a crisis of epic scale that threatens to erase the gains made over the past decades.

"We reiterate the need to strengthen international solidarity and multilateral cooperation and partnership in the fight against a disease that is the common enemy of mankind."

With 134 member states, the G77 is aimed at strengthening solidarity and cooperation and promoting the economic and social development of developing countries.

In a related development, the top health officials of the G20 nations highlighted the need to further coordinate efforts and to support the role of the WHO in combating COVID-19.

During a virtual meeting on Sunday hosted by Saudi Arabia, G20 health ministers and other invited officials, including representatives from the WHO and the World Bank, voiced their support for the WHO in playing a leading role in coordinating global efforts against the novel coronavirus.

Ma Xiaowei, the minister in charge of China's National Health Commission, said China is willing to implement the consensus reached at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit in late March and called on all parties to continue supporting the WHO.

Russia's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said: "Today, the exchange of national practices to overcome all the negative consequences of COVID-19 is very important. And in this situation, the leading role of the WHO is important."

Canada's Health Minister Patty Hajdu also expressed the hope that under the leadership of the WHO, countries can make joint efforts to unleash power that no single country can achieve alone, adding that they need to make sure that no nation falls behind.

Xinhua contributed to this story.