UN and world leaders meet to forge path to end pandemic

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly president opened the world body’s first special session on COVID-19 Thursday, calling it a historic and overdue moment of reckoning to forge a path to end the pandemic that not only ensures people everywhere have access to vaccines but mobilizes financial resources for “an inclusive and resilient recovery.”

Volkan Bozkir said the world is looking to the United Nations for leadership and action “to address the greatest challenge our world is facing today.”

“This is not a time to point fingers,” he said. “We have convened here to forge a path forward and to end the suffering of the people we serve.”

Nearly 100 world leaders and several dozen government ministers are scheduled to speak during the mainly virtual special session that began with Bozkir asking masked ambassadors and diplomats from the U.N.’s 193 member nations in the assembly hall to stand in silent tribute to the 1.5 million people who have lost their lives to COVID-19.

The assembly president called the session “a test for multilateralism” and said what the world must do is clear -- ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, work together “to protect the most vulnerable countries,” ensure adequate resources for an economic recovery that goes beyond pre-pandemic levels, and ensure that policies adopted ensure human rights and don’t undermine democratic institutions.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that from the start of the COVID-19 crisis early this year, the World Health Organization provided factual information and recommendations that should have been the basis for a coordinated global response. But unfortunately, many recommendations weren’t followed, and some countries ignored or rejected the guidance.

“And when countries go in their own...