Racism must be rejected by all, invest in social cohesion: UN chief

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged world leaders to invest in social cohesion, expressing sadness over the riots in the US after the death of an African-American man in Minneapolis.

"I am heartbroken to see violence on the streets in our host country and our host city of New York," Guterres said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Protests in New York and the US intensified as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets demanding an end to police brutality after 46-year old George Floyd was killed last week when a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he lay handcuffed and pinned to the ground.
 

 Authorities had to impose curfew in New York City as incidents of looting increased across the city with groups of people vandalising and breaking into retail stores in Manhattan and stealing merchandise worth thousands of dollars.
Guterres also asked for protection of people on the move in face of Covid-19.

In a video message for the launch of a policy brief on the impact of coronavirus on people on the move, Guterres asked countries to develop a new mindset on human mobility, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Covid-19 crisis is an opportunity to re-imagine human mobility. Four core understandings must guide the way," he said.

First, exclusion is costly and inclusion pays. An inclusive public health and socio-economic response will help suppress the virus, restart the economies and advance the Sustainable Development Goals, said Guterres.

Second, human dignity must be upheld in face of the pandemic. Lessons should be learned from the handful of countries that have shown how to implement travel restrictions and border controls while fully respecting human rights and international refugee protection principles, he said.

Third, no one is safe until everyone is safe. Diagnostics, treatment and vaccines must be accessible to all, said the UN chief.

Fourth, people on the move are part of the solution, he noted. "Let us remove unwarranted barriers, explore models to regularize pathways for migrants and reduce transaction costs for remittances."

Guterres expressed gratitude to countries, especially developing countries, that have opened their borders and hearts to refugees and migrants, despite their own social, economic and health challenges.