UN: Secretary-General calls for global ceasefire
In March, as the pandemic spanned the world, the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) called for a global ceasefire so that all efforts could focus on saving lives in the face of the common enemy of the virus. His call won support from most UN member states but had little impact in the real world, and conflicts continued even during the pandemic. Still, for some, this was another symbolic moment that indicated a growing willingness by the UNSG to make big calls and break free of the excessive caution brought by the influence of powerful states.
The pandemic changed things. The UNSG finally did what he should have been doing as a general rule, which is to say that this is not about politics or having to tiptoe around the sensitivities of certain member states – this is about telling the world that the only way we will overcome this crisis is by coming together, and that this requires an immediate suspension of hostilities globally.
Anonymous international CSO representative
