U.S. MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Office of Press and Public Diplomacy

April 2, 2020

Explanation of Position Regarding the Adoption of A/74/L.52

We are pleased to join consensus on this important resolution and commend Ghana, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Norway, Singapore, and Switzerland for drafting an inclusive, balanced, and constructive text.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge. Addressing it requires global action, international solidarity, and unity of purpose. We hope this resolution will rally the international community to take tangible steps to counter the virus and its spread.

Across the globe, the United States is supporting countries affected by COVID-19, working directly with governments, multilateral organizations within their existing mandates, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and other organizations responding on the ground to combat the dangerous pathogen. The United States has already made available nearly $274 million in health and humanitarian aid to combat COVID-19. In the weeks and months ahead, we will put to work more than $2 billion in U.S. foreign assistance to save lives.

We commend the Secretary-General for promoting a unified international response through the announcement of the United Nations-coordinated Global Humanitarian Response Plan, and we encourage all delegations to support the COVID-19 response. We emphasize the importance of humanitarian access amid the international COVID-19 response effort.

We reiterate the need for complete transparency and the timely sharing of public health data and information with the full international community, and the importance of accurate, science-based data collection and analysis of the origins, characteristics, and spread of the virus.

We want to thank those who supported this resolution and we reaffirm our commitment to a united front against this common threat.

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