According to the UN’s flagship economic forecast released last week, the world is emerging from the depths of a paralyzing economic crisis, but recovery remains fragile and uneven.

Reminding of the World Health Organization (WHO) goal to vaccinate 40 per cent of people in all countries by the end of last year, and 70 per cent by the middle of this year, Mr. Guterres said the world was nowhere even close.

Besides a focus on vaccine equity, he argued that the world must prepare for the next pandemic with investments in monitoring, early detection and rapid response plans in every country.