Norwegian PM calls for fairer global system to recover from COVID-19

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg on Friday called for efforts to build a fairer global system in order to recover better from COVID-19, reported Xinhua.

"The pandemic has exposed fundamental weaknesses in our global system. There can no longer be any doubt about the need for urgent global action to build a fairer and more resilient world," she told the SDG Moment, a high-level UN event to galvanize global efforts toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"This is exactly what the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is all about," she said via video teleconference.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown countries into a crisis of unseen proportions. Health systems have been tested, in some cases beyond their limits, she said. Where available, financial resources have been stretched to preserve social and economic infrastructure, and not the least, to help those who have lost jobs and been thrown into uncertainty. But in too many places, the resources to save lives and livelihoods are simply not available.

"A looming debt crisis reminds us of the imbalances and growing inequalities in our world. Indeed, it seems the world is not moving forward. It has rather come to a standstill," said Solberg, who is also a co-chair of the UN secretary-general's SDG Advocates.

The world must show solidarity in face of COVID-19, she said. "The pandemic strikes indiscriminately. There is no time and place to talk about 'they' and 'us.' Unless the pandemic is addressed as a global challenge, it will bounce back and effectively stop our chances of realizing the SDGs."

The development of a vaccine is of paramount importance, she said. Norway is investing heavily in vaccine development, and strives to secure equal access for all.

She called for multilateralism in efforts to recover better from COVID-19. "To build back better and greener, we need a renewed commitment to an inclusive, innovative, and resilient multilateralism," she said.