UN chief calls for including women, youth, COVID-19 vaccine supply in Africa's recovery plans

UNITED NATIONS, May 19 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for including both women and young people, and supply of more COVID-19 vaccines in Africa's plans to recover from the pandemic.

"I urge member states to make proactive efforts to include women and young people when shaping post-pandemic recovery," the UN chief told the Security Council open debate on peace and security in Africa: "Addressing root causes of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa."

"Guaranteeing equal opportunities, social protection, access to resources and services and inclusive and meaningful participation in decision-making are not simply moral and legal obligations," he said. "They are a necessary condition for countries to exit the conflict trap and get firmly on the pathway of peace and sustainable development."

Ambassadors met virtually to examine how to address root causes of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa.

On the impact of the pandemic on the continent, the top UN official said that "one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, as we face the possibility of an uneven recovery, it is clear that the crisis is feeding many of these drivers of conflict and instability."

"The severe economic fallout of the pandemic is already aggravating tensions. Globally, the crisis has pushed an additional estimated 114 million people into extreme poverty," he said.

"Economic growth on the African continent has slowed, estimated at 3.4 percent in 2021, compared to 6 percent globally. Remittances are drying up and debt is mounting," the UN chief added.

Guterres noted that the severe impact of the pandemic on young people - especially in Africa, the youngest continent - is contributing to increased risks.

"The pandemic continues to deepen existing gender inequalities. Women account for more than 50 percent of the low wage, labor intensive jobs in retail, hospitality and tourism that may never come back, as companies embrace automation. COVID-19 threatens hard-won gains on women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in all areas of social, economic and political life, including peace processes."

Turning to COVID-19 vaccines, the top UN official reported that Africa has received less than 2 percent of COVID-19 vaccines administered globally.

He said although African governments have shown commitment to fight the pandemic through a unified continent-wide approach, limited supply and access to vaccines, as well as insufficient support for pandemic response, "are now hampering and delaying recovery."

"Out of 1.4 billion doses administered around the world today, only 24 million have reached Africa - less than 2 percent," Guterres said.

The secretary-general emphasized that equitable and sustainable vaccine roll-out worldwide is the quickest path to fast and fair recovery from the pandemic.

He underlined that this requires countries to share doses, remove export restrictions, ramp up local production and fully fund global initiatives that promote equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.