Viewpoint by Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada

Following is the text of a press release conveying President Harada‘s Message in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. [Read in Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese.]

TOKYO (IDN) – Japan, where until recently we hoped that we would contain the spread of COVID-19, has now entered into a state of emergency, facing a surge in the number of confirmed cases and redoubling its efforts to save precious lives. 
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Viewpoint by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Following is the statement by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women on 6 April 2020.

NEW YORK (IDN) – With 90 countries in lockdown, four billion people are now sheltering at home from the global contagion of COVID-19. It’s a protective measure, but it brings another deadly danger. We see a shadow pandemic growing, of violence against women.

As more countries report infection and lockdown, more domestic violence helplines and shelters across the world are reporting rising calls for help.…

Applause for UN Chief’s Leadership While Missing Out His ‘Global Ceasefire’ Plea

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – Short of referring to the clarion call by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on March 23 for “an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world”, in support of the bigger battle against the devastating pandemic, the Group of 77 (G77) has in a statement congratulated him for his “strong leadership in this time of crisis” and welcomed the launch of the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund “to strengthen health systems and assist vulnerable populations across the globe”.…

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – The U.S. and France are treading unexpected paths to besiege COVID-19 with African assistance. Striking a different note, the Nigerians have strong reservations about a team of Chinese specialists invited to support them in combating the pandemic in the West African country.

While the desperate USAID relief agency has been seeking personal protective equipment (PPE) from poor countries to safeguard much needed supplies in the U.S., and a French doctor wants to test drugs on Africans. But the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) is bashing the government for inviting an 18-man team of Chinese specialists in helping to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria.…

By Reinhard Jacobsen

VIENNA (IDN) – Responding to requests for support from around 90 Member States in controlling an increasing number of infections worldwide, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is dispatching a first batch of equipment to more than 40 countries to enable them to use a nuclear-derived technique to rapidly detect the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Also known as the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA said that several countries have shown strong support for this emergency assistance and announced major funding contributions for the IAEA’s efforts in helping to tackle the pandemic.…