This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
On July 1, 2020, the UN Security Council made its first statement on the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting a resolution that calls for an immediate halt to conflicts worldwide.
The resolution, drafted by France and Tunisia, aims to support an appeal by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for a global ceasefire in March.
Despite being repeatedly blocked by China and the United States, which opposed a reference to the World Health Organization (WHO), the resolution was passed with a vague reference to WHO added to the preamble.
The resolution calls for all parties to armed conflicts to engage in a durable humanitarian pause for at least 90 consecutive days, to enable the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance.
However, fighting against jihadist insurgent groups is excluded from the resolution.
Experts have questioned whether the resolution will have any impact, citing the Council's paralysis for over three months and the lack of concrete action following Guterres' ceasefire request.
