Devex: Proposals and pressure mount for more action on COVID-19 financing
“Dozens of heads of state, top United Nations officials, and the heads of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund gathered virtually last week in the largest convening of its kind about the economic response to COVID-19. They discussed a number of proposals from an ongoing U.N. process and pushed the Group of 20 and other multilateral bodies to take further action. … While policy recommendations that emerged from the process range from new mechanisms for trade and investment to doubling down on digitization of economies, much of the discussion last week, and in the weeks and months ahead is likely to focus on debt relief and providing additional liquidity…” (Saldinger, 10/5).

Devex: COVID-19 is not an ‘excuse’ for human rights violations, U.N. human rights chief says
“From attacks on journalists to violence against human rights defenders, the COVID-19 pandemic is worsening ongoing human rights violations, according to Michelle Bachelet, United Nations high commissioner for human rights and former president of Chile. … COVID-19 should not be used as an ‘excuse for human rights violations,’ Bachelet said in the interview…” (Lieberman, 10/2).

U.N. News: Countries face ‘critical moment’ in COVID response: U.N. health agency chief
“With strong leadership and comprehensive strategies it’s never too late for countries to change the trendlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite passing the tragic milestone of one million deaths this week amid regional surges in infections, said the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday…” (10/2).