UN Security Council sets suspiciously specific topic for belated first COVID discussion

The United Nations Security Council is all set to discuss the "Impact of COVID-19 on the issues that fall under the Security Council’s mandate" later on Thursday at approximately between 1-1.30 am IST (10th April). The Council President for the month of April, the Dominican Republic, said that the meeting will be held via a video-teleconferencing (VTC). This comes shortly after China vacated the rotating presidency of the top body at the onset of April, having purportedly blocked the Coronavirus discussion through March.

Read: UN Security Council To Discuss COVID-19 Pandemic In Closed Session On Thursday

The UNSC session on COVID-19 will be held behind closed doors and will mark the first discussion on the pandemic by the UN organ that has killed more than 74,000 people and infected over 1.3 million globally. In the four months since the outbreak originated in Wuhan, China has repeatedly snubbed discussions on the virus taking advantage of being the head of the body for the month of March. 

Read: EU's Top Scientist Resigns Over 'disappointing' Response To COVID-19 Outbreak

Formal request by non-permanent members

Nine of the 10 non-permanent members formally requested for this meeting featuring a presentation by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The nine countries that requested the meeting are Germany, which initiated the effort, followed by Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Indonesia, Niger, St Vincent, and the Grenadines, Tunisia, and Vietnam. The only non-permanent South Africa did not support the move, stating that the council's purpose has always been peace and security, not health and economic issues. Meanwhile, the United States has demanded that for any meeting to proceed it must specify that the virus first emerged in China, which has been opposed by the latter. 

(With Agency Inputs)

Read: UN Security Council To Discuss Covid Behind Closed Doors; Here's Each Member's Position