In his message to the annual ministerial meeting, held on Tuesday virtually, Guterres acknowledged they have been leaders in placing development at the center of the UN agenda.

The founding principles of unity, complementarity, cooperation and solidarity are especially relevant in these times of crisis due to Covid-19, said the UNSG.

Guterres also said vaccine inequality and lack of solidarity is entrenching many other inequalities and injustices among countries and regions, between rich and poor, and between the global North and the global South.

The current extremely uneven recovery pace can have dire consequences, especially for developing countries, he warned.

Beyond universal access to COVID 19 vaccines, we must provide developing countries with the liquidity they need so that they can invest in a sustainable recovery, restart their economies and restore their vibrant societies.

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