Pedro Sánchez underlines leadership of World Health Organization in multilateral response to COVID-19 crisis

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

On this occasion, the meeting focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and Member States reported on their progress in fighting the virus and exchanged experiences on the development of the situation in their respective countries.

Pedro Sánchez highlighted that Spain firmly believes that the only possible response to COVID-19 can be a multilateral one. "Now more than ever, we must stand united. Because united, we are stronger", he stressed. The President of the Government conveyed the Government of Spain's support for the leadership of the WHO, and particularly of its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom, "in making progress on the work based on lessons learned, such that the world is better prepared to respond to future challenges".

The President of the Government also asked for work to be done with a comprehensive vision that spans the multiple realms of health, stressing that "only in this way can we achieve the third sustainable development goal: to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages".

Pedro Sánchez also welcomed universal health coverage as a cornerstone for efficient, resilient and quality health systems that not only provide responses to health emergencies, but also to the ongoing protection of health.

In his speech, Pedro Sánchez sought to remember the victims of the global pandemic. "We have learned a great many lessons from this crisis. Unfortunately, this has been against the clock and at a tremendous emotional and human cost, with the irreplaceable loss of a great many lives of our compatriots. I wish to pay sincere tribute to the victims taken by this disease, and to their families and loved ones".

Non official translation