UNSC is 'ineffective' in combating coronavirus: Turkey

By Fahri Aksut

ANKARA (AA) - As the world is in an uphill battle against the novel coronavirus, the UN Security Council has been “ineffective” in this battle, the Turkish foreign minister said on Tuesday.

"Months have passed since the outbreak of the pandemic and the Council has yet to come up with a joint resolution," Mevlut Cavusoglu told the virtual Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

The forum was held for the first time this year under the theme of Digital Diplomacy.

The videoconference on How the Coronavirus Pandemic Affects Conflict Dynamics and Mediation: New Challenges to Peace and Security launched the forum.

Among the attendees of the forum via a video link were Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Rosemary DiCarlo, under-secretary-general of United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Smail Chergui, commissioner for peace and security in African Union Commission, Terje Rod-Larsen, president of International Peace Institute.

The participants shared their views, insights and ideas on mediation in the time of a global health crisis.

More than 4.83 million cases have been reported in 188 countries and regions since the coronavirus emerged in China last December.

The US, Russia, Brazil, and several European countries are currently the hardest-hit in the world.

The pandemic has claimed nearly 320,000 lives worldwide, while recoveries has surpassed 1.8 million, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.