‘Our concern now is the southern hemisphere’ – COVID Action Platform convenes leaders on the challenges ahead

April 16, 2020 by World Economic Forum 4 Comments

(Joey Csunyo, Unsplash)

This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Christopher Alessi, Digital Editor, World Economic Forum

“We are greatly concerned, because if this virus…becomes more serious in Africa, because the health system is weak, its damage could be very, very serious.”

That was the impassioned warning of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), during a digital meeting of the Forum’s COVID Action Platform on 15 April.

Launched last month, the Forum’s platform aims to convene the business community for collective action to protect people’s livelihoods, facilitate business continuity and mobilize support for a global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, more than 1,300 companies, organizations and individuals have joined the platform.

In addition to the Director-General, participants on this week’s webinar included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet and International Committee of the Red Cross President Peter Maurer.

Here are some key quotes from the meeting:

On the spread of coronavirus to developing countries:

“Our concern now is the southern hemisphere – and especially Africa,” Dr. Tedros said of the WHO’s shifting focus amid the ongoing spread of the coronavirus.

“Sharing experiences and helping each other is very important,” he added, calling on the European Union to assist the African Union in its fight to contain COVID-19.

“We have to be prepared that the virus gets more intense in Africa,” von der Leyen said, urging the global community to come together to find, produce and deploy a vaccine.

“It affects the southern hemisphere potentially in a huge way, and we just have a small window of opportunity today to speed and scale the emergency response and preparedness to limit the crisis,” Maurer said. He also noted that the coronavirus pandemic is not only a health and economic crisis, but also a “humanitarian crisis”.

On the importance of solidarity in fighting the virus:

“When there is a crack at national levels [between] political parties, it is an opportunity for the virus to exploit,” Dr. Tedros said. But he added: “If there is strong national unity, then global solidarity will also be strong”.

“We need engagement across sectors,” Maurer said, highlighting the urgency of “building alliances and coalitions” across industries and specialties.

There needs to be a “coordinated approach to lifting measures,” argued von der Leyen. “The curve is flattening, but it does not mean it’s decreasing.” She also called for a “Marshall Plan in the European Union” after the economy reopens, to help countries recover and plan for the future.

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Commission seeks feedback on commitments offered by Sanofi over possible anticompetitive conduct regarding the promotion of a flu vaccine for vulnerable patients

July 9, 2026

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. The European Commission invites comments on commitments offered by Sanofi to address competition concerns regarding a communication campaign that has possibly disparaged the only rival flu vaccine recommended for vulnerable patients with risk factors. The Commission’s investigation Sanofi, headquartered in France, is a multinational […]

This article is published in association with United Nations.

US-Iran war: Renewed attacks in Strait of Hormuz prompts another global energy alert

July 9, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Renewed attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz unsettled energy markets on Wednesday and prompted calls from the UN maritime agency, IMO, for “maximum restraint and de-escalation”. Amid reports that three merchant vessels were hit along with Iranian targets, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez condemned “reckless attacks” […]

When AI hurts people, who’s to blame? Global experts grapple with accountability

July 8, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Who is legally responsible when Artificial Intelligence causes harm? The issue took centre stage on Tuesday – day two of the first ever UN summit on AI governance, where leading experts warned of mounting evidence of human rights violations linked to the revolutionary technology. “Across 11 Global […]

UN News Humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip remain dire, with families in urgent need of shelter, healthcare and food.

Occupied Palestinian Territory: Aid restrictions in Gaza, ‘senseless’ infant deaths in the West Bank

July 7, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Ongoing restrictions and closures of border crossings continue to hamper delivery of critical supplies into the Gaza Strip, amid mounting concern for children there and in the West Bank, the United Nations said on Monday. UN teams in Gaza continued to collect food and fuel from the Kerem […]

About the author Sadia Khalid is a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technology. She is driven by a commitment to advance public health and scientific understanding. With research interests spanning molecular medicine, infectious diseases, bacteriology, hepatology, and gastroenterology, she aims to contribute meaningful, evidence-based insights that support health, safety, and community awareness.

Heat, Flood, Fire: The Climate Crisis and the Body

July 6, 2026

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Sadia Khalid, a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technologye. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on […]

UN Ukraine The aftermath of a Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv in May 2026.

Civilian dangers multiply as drones transform Ukraine’s battlefield

July 6, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. As drones reshape the battlefield in Ukraine, they are also creating new and increasingly complex dangers for civilians, threatening recovery efforts, agriculture and global food security long after the fighting ends. “The battlespace has become a lot deeper, a lot wider and a lot more lethal,” Paul […]

© WHO/PAHO PAHO has mobilised emergency health supplies from its Strategic Reserve in Panama following the earthquakes that struck the country on 24 June.

Venezuela’s earthquake-hit hospitals pushed to the brink as disease risk grows

July 3, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. A week after earthquakes tore through northern Venezuela, hospitals in La Guaira are buckling under the weight of the disaster – and the risk of disease outbreaks in shelters is rising fast. An assessment by the UN-backed Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) found that all eight health […]

Venezuela earthquake disaster: needs ‘skyrocketing’, say relief agencies

July 2, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. In Venezuela, a rescue operation in La Guaira has succeeded in getting a toddler out alive from under the rubble, six days since the double-earthquake disaster. The miraculous story of the three-year-old’s rescue in the worst-hit northern region came as tens of thousands of people remained without […]

© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour Much of Gaza will need rebuilding after the war with Israel.

Despite record $100 million shortfall, Palestine relief agency still ‘a critical platform’ for Gaza recovery

July 1, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN agency serving 5.9 million Palestine refugees, UNRWA, continues to strive to deliver on its mandate while facing an unprecedented $100 million budget shortfall, a gap it hopes to narrow during Tuesday’s pledging conference at UN Headquarters. Operating primarily on voluntary donations since its inception in the […]

© UNOCHA Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine has been regularly attacked with aerial bombs and drones.

UN details humanitarian toll of strikes on Ukrainian power industry

June 30, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Missile and drone attacks killed at least a dozen civilians in Russia and Ukraine over the weekend as both countries continue to launch long-range drone strikes. Tweet URL Ukrainian authorities reported eight civilians killed and 35 others wounded in Russian attacks on the city of Dnipro on […]

Photo credit: Luis Garcia The UN System is present in La Guaira, the region most severely affected by the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela.

Venezuela earthquakes leave 680,000 children in need of assistance: UNICEF

June 29, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Some 680,000 children are among the 1.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance following the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on 24 June, the UN child rights agency UNICEF reported on Sunday as rescue efforts continue. Damage to hospitals, schools, and water systems is exacerbating the situation for affected families, […]

Europe heatwave breaks records as UN agencies ramp up health warnings

June 26, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Climate and Environment As a record-breaking heatwave grips large parts of Europe, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), national weather services and partners are mobilising heat-health action plans for millions of people facing dangerous temperatures. The extreme heat is also impacting economic activities, infrastructure, agriculture and ecosystems, the UN weather […]

© Unsplash/Angus Gray Ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz have dropped by over 90 per cent since the crisis escalated in late February 2026.

Stranded Hormuz seafarers begin mass evacuation operation

June 25, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. As the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) released more details of its plan to evacuate more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, one mariner caught up in the emergency has described the ever-present fear of coming under attack. “You don’t know when the war […]

World News in Brief: UN launches Hormuz evacuation plan, UNICEF youth champion killed in Gaza, Lebanon ceasefire ‘largely holding’

June 24, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will begin implementing an evacuation plan for more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, the UN agency announced on Tuesday. The development follows months of hardship and distress for thousands of innocent seafarers and comes on the heels of […]

© Unsplash/Michu Đăng Quang The emissions from electricity or gasoline that power air conditioners contribute to global warming. "It's time to come clean" and do more to promote renewable energy, the UN Secretary-General told the London Climate Action Week.

Climate crisis: UN chief lays out solutions blueprint for clean energy transition

June 23, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. As a deadly heatwave continued to grip Europe on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued an impassioned appeal for more ambitious global action on climate change caused by fossil fuels, to prevent irreversible damage. In a major keynote speech at London Climate Action Week, the UN chief […]

Libya’s political process regains momentum, but window for action is narrowing, UN envoy warns

June 22, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Libya has been mired in political dysfunction since the collapse of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, which shattered State institutions and triggered recurring struggles over legitimacy and power. The country’s current stalemate pits the UN-recognised Government of National Unity in the capital Tripoli against eastern-based authorities backed […]

© UNICEF Chad hosts refugees from conflicts in neighbouring Sudan, the Central African Republic and Cameroon.

World Refugee Day: UN calls for renewed commitment and solidarity

June 22, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has called on the international community to strengthen support for the nearly 42 million people worldwide who have fled their home countries to escape conflict, violence or persecution. Barham Salih highlighted the contributions refugees make to their host communities as workers, students, neighbours, […]

© WFP/Htet Oo Linn Families in Myanmar have been hit hard by rising prices, with the most vulnerable struggling to meet their daily needs.

US makes $1 billion contribution to UN child rights and food agencies

June 19, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Two United Nations agencies have together welcomed more than $1 billion in assistance from the United States to support their operations targeting millions of children and hungry families in more than 40 countries. This week the US State Department announced a more than $800 million contribution to the […]

© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov A bouquet of flowers and soft toys placed near the site of a missile strike, left in memory of the children killed in the early morning attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 24 April 2025.

‘Darkest chapter’: Record child violations in 2025, with national forces leading the way

June 18, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. For the first time, soldiers and Government forces were responsible for more grave violations against children in armed conflict than non-State armed groups – and 2025 set a grim new record for the total number of child victims. The findings come in the annual UN report on Children and Armed […]