PM, UN SG discuss coronavirus situation over phone

Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Tuesday discussed over telephone with UN Secretary-General António Guterres about the UN’s measures to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, said a government press release.

Marin emphasised that Finland fully supports the efforts of the UN and its specialised agencies in dealing with the global pandemic.

Finland has decided to provide a total of 30 million euros to support global measures to combat the coronavirus scourge.

This includes an additional 5.5 million euros in funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) and 22 million euros in additional funding for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Women.

The two leaders also discussed the effects of the pandemic on international peace and security. Conflict prevention and crisis management are important priorities for Finland, including during the pandemic. And Finland supports Guterres’ call for a global ceasefire.

The discussion was also a follow-up to their meeting on March 6 in New York.

In her discussions with the UN secretary-general, the prime minister emphasised the importance of the multilateral order and the UN in general and highlighted the need for closer EU–UN cooperation.