NEW YORK, USA — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. highlighted that the world has yet to resolve one problem: inequality and inequity among nations, especially in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Marcos said this during the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday afternoon, September 20 (New York time).
In his speech, the President said that even though the world is advancing technologically, countries worldwide are still not equal.
"Even as we grapple with these new long-term shifts, we remain beset by an unresolved problem: Inequalities and inequities within and among countries continue to persist, and they continue to demand urgent action," he said.
In particular, Marcos said inequalities and inequities were evident during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"This injustice was evident during the pandemic when the richer nations immediately received vaccines at the expense of the have-nots," he said.
"We see, for example, dangers of this lurking in the persistent digital divide and in ballooning debt burdens," he added.
Economic recovery
Meanwhile, Marcos cited the need to reinvigorate the world economy as all nations awaken from the economic stupor caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
However, in doing so, the President said no country must be left behind.
"We must use public and private resources to encourage the expansion of trade, investment, and technology transfers to accelerate development," he said.
"Knowledge and intellectual gains must flow freely to allow those lagging behind to catch up. Sustainable development will be hampered, to the detriment of all, if existing structures in the global economy remain unreformed," he added.