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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 2 december 2020

U.N.: Pandemic to fan surge in humanitarian needs in 2021

By JAMEY KEATEN and being hit disproportionately
EDITH M. LEDERER hard by rising food prices,
Associated Press falling incomes, interrupted
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. vaccination programs and
humanitarian office says school closures.”
needs for assistance have The overview, which is billed
ballooned to unprecedent- as one of the most compre-
ed levels this year because hensive looks of the world’s
of COVID-19, projecting humanitarian needs, has
that a staggering 235 mil- put together nearly three
lion people will require help dozen individual response
in 2021. plans for a total of 56 “vul-
This comes as a result of the nerable” countries.
coronavirus pandemic and Lowcock said the biggest
global challenges includ- problem is in Yemen where
ing conflicts, forced mi- there is danger of “a large-
gration and the impact of scale famine” now, saying
global warming. a prime reason is lack of
The U.N. Office for the Co- funding from Gulf countries
ordination of Humanitarian that were major donors in
Affairs, or OCHA, expects a the past which has led to
40% increase in the number cuts in aid and the closing
of people in need of such of clinics.
assistance in 2021 com- In this Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020 file photo, Tigray refugees who fled the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray He said the biggest finan-
pared to this year — a sign region, wait to receive aid at Umm Rakouba refugee camp in Qadarif, eastern Sudan. cial request is for the Syr-
that pain, suffering and tor- Associated Press ian crisis and its spillover
ment brought by the coro- ing this year is the bleakest ing starvation.” ian organizations trying to to neighboring countries
navirus outbreak and other and darkest perspective on Lowcock told a U.N. brief- meet the rest, Lowcock ex- where millions of Syrians
problems could get worse humanitarian needs we’ve ing in New York on the plained. have fled to escape the
even if hopes of a vaccine ever set out, and that’s be- overview that he thinks the U.N. Secretary-General An- more than nine-year con-
are rising. cause the pandemic has U.N. appeal will probably tonio Guterres said humani- flict.
OCHA made the projec- reaped carnage across raise a record $20 billion by tarian aid budgets are now OCHA said other countries
tions in its latest annual the most fragile and vulner- the end of the year -- $2 bil- facing dire shortfalls as the in need include Afghani-
Global Humanitarian Over- able countries on the plan- lion more than last year. But impact of the COVID-19 stan, Congo, Haiti, Nigeria,
view on Tuesday, saying its et,” said U.N. humanitarian he said the gap between pandemic continues to South Sudan, Ukraine and
hopes to reach 160 million chief Mark Lowcock, who needs and funding is grow- worsen, and said extreme Venezuela. Newcomers to
of those people in need will heads OCHA. ing and the U.N. is looking poverty has risen for the first this year’s list are Mozam-
cost $35 billion. That’s more “For the first time since the to “new players” coming time in more than a gen- bique, where extremist ac-
than twice the record $17 1990s, extreme poverty is on the scene in 2021, in- eration. tivity has increased in the
billion that donors have pro- going to increase, life ex- cluding U.S. President-elect “The lives of people in every north, Pakistan and Zimba-
vided for the international pectancy will fall, the an- Joe Biden’s new adminis- nation and corner of the bwe.
humanitarian response so nual death toll from HIV, tration. world have been upended Lowcock said it’s not the
far this year — and a target tuberculosis and malaria The U.N. aims to reach by the impact of the pan- pandemic, but its econom-
figure that is almost certain is set to double,” he said. about two-thirds of those demic,” he said in a video ic impact that’s having the
to go unmet. “We fear a near doubling in in need, with the Red Cross statement. “Those already greatest effect on humani-
“The picture we’re paint- the number of people fac- and other humanitar- living on a knife’s edge are tarian needs. .q
Canada: U.S. border measures to last until virus under control

By ROB GILLIES that trade in essential and deaths from COVID-19
Associated Press goods, in agriculture prod- than any country in the
TORONTO (AP) — Cana- ucts, in pharmaceuticals is world.
dian Prime Minister Justin flowing back and forth as it Trudeau has come under
Trudeau said Tuesday the always had,” he said. “It’s criticism from opposition
ban on nonessential travel just people not travelling, parties for saying Cana-
with the United States will which I think is the impor- dians won’t be among
not be lifted until COVID-19 tant thing.” the first to get a vaccine
is significantly more under Trudeau said although against COVID-19 because
control around the world. President-elect Joe Biden the first doses will likely go
Canada and the U.S. have has an “obvious” different to citizens of the countries
limited border crossings approach to the pandem- they are made in. Canada
since March, extending the ic than President Donald doesn’t have mass vac-
restrictions each month. Trump, the situation in the cine-production facilities.
“Until the virus is significantly U.S. remains serious and it But Trudeau said at a news Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at Rideau
under more control every- will take awhile to change conference on Tuesday Cottage during the COVID pandemic in Ottawa on Tuesday,
where around the world, that. About 400,000 people that Canada was among Dec. 1, 2020. Associated Press
we are not going to be crossed the world’s longest the first to pre-order Mod-
releasing the restrictions at international border each erna’s vaccine candidate “Already, Moderna has And just yesterday, John-
the border,” Trudeau told day before the pandemic. and, “We are guaranteed submitted their candidate son & Johnson joined this
the Canadian Broadcast- About 75% of Canada’s ex- some of Moderna’s first for Health Canada review, list as the fourth candi-
ing Corporation. ports go to the U.S. which batch if the vaccine is safe as have Pfizer-BioNTech date for Health Canada’s
“We are incredibly lucky has more confirmed cases and approved.” and AstraZeneca-Oxford. review.”q