Statement by Achim Steiner - 101st Meeting of the Development Committee - April 17, 2020 - Virtual

Jul 19, 2026

Statement by Achim Steiner for the 101st virtual meeting of the Development Committee on April 17, 2020, outlines how the UN must rebuild societies after COVID-19 through rapid health, humanitarian, and socio-economic responses. It describes global economic and social impacts, including rising poverty, inequality, weaker investment flows, reduced tourism, and education disruption. The statement stresses a coordinated multilateral approach, health-first system protection and strengthening, and urgent, targeted actions for vulnerable countries.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction: The COVID Response

Socio-economic response framework

The Socio-Economic Response

Health first: protect and strengthen health systems

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors ofthe Bank and the Fund on the Transfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries) ONE HUNDRED AND ONE MEETING WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 17, 2020 (VIRTUAL) DC/S/2020-0036 April 17, 2020 Statement by Achim Steiner Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme United Nations U N I T E D N A T I O N S N A T I O N S U N I E S Statement by Achim Steiner Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme United Nations 101st Meeting of the Development Committee April 17, 2020 Washington, DC (VIRTUAL) We will not and cannot return to the world as it was before the pandemic struck. We must rebuild societies that are better, more resilient – and we must do so together. 1 Secretary General Antonio Guterres The unprecedented crisis triggered by the spread of the COVID-19 virus, has focused the full attention of the United Nations’ System (UN) on a strategy of rapid response and recovery. In the words of the UN Secretary-General, this pandemic is the worst global crisis since World War II. The IMF’s World Economic Outlook frames the depth of the current global economic recession as the deepest since the Great Depression.2 I. Introduction: The COVID Response The UN’s efforts to help save lives and protect people from the COVID-19 pandemic focus on three critical components, all led by each country’s Resident Coordinator: the health response, coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO); the humanitarian response, coordinated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); and the socio-economic response, coordinated by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in close collaboration with all UN agencies in 162 countries and territories. In a recent report entitled Shared responsibility, global solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, the UN Secretary-General calls for a large-scale, coordinated, comprehensive multilateral response that amounts to at least 10 per cent of GDP. The size of this commitment requires an open discussion about debt relief in all developing countries –in fragile/crisis contexts, in low and middle-income countries as well as in Small Island Developing States. While its impact will vary from country to country, Covid-19 will likely increase poverty and inequalities at a global scale. According to the UN International Labour Organization, working hours are 1 [https://www.un.org/en/un-coronavirus-communications-team/launch-report-socio-economic-impacts-covid-19](https://www.un.org/en/un-coronavirus-communications-team/launch-report-socio-economic-impacts-covid-19) 2 [https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2020/04/14/weo-april-2020](https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2020/04/14/weo-april-2020) projected to decline by 6.7% in Q2 (2020), equivalent to 195 million full-time workers, with the world losing between $860 billion to $3.4 trillion in labor income. The UN Conference on Trade and Development projects 30 to 40 per cent downward pressure on global foreign direct investment flows. The World Tourism Organization sees a 20–30 per cent decline in international arrivals. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization forecasts that 1.5 billion students will be out of school. Inequality of access to broadband connectivity and inaccessibility of ICTs hinders effective remote participation and access to remote schooling arrangements, health information and telemedicine by all. According to the International Telecommunication Union, an estimated 3.6 billion people remain offline, with most of the unconnected living in the least developed countries. To operationalise the UN Secretary-General’s report, the UN development system has developed a socioeconomic response framework and has switched into emergency mode. A significant portion of

FAQs

What are the three critical UN components of the COVID-19 response described here?

The statement highlights the health response led with WHO coordination, the humanitarian response coordinated with OCHA, and the socio-economic response coordinated by UNDP in collaboration with UN agencies across countries and territories.

Why does the statement call for a large-scale multilateral socio-economic response?

It argues that the crisis requires coordinated recovery beyond rapid response, referencing the scale of recession and the UN Secretary-General’s call for a comprehensive multilateral effort totaling at least 10% of GDP.

What does “Health First” emphasize in this document?

It emphasizes protecting and strengthening health systems under COVID-19 pressure, preventing both direct mortality and avertable mortality from delayed or missing services, and investing in preparedness for future waves.

Jul 19, 2026

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