Antonio Guterres: Closing borders unfairly, punitively and ineffectively

In front of Omicron variant of the new coronavirus the closures of the borders are “deeply unjust, punitive and ineffective”, judged yesterday Wednesday (01/12) the General secretary of United Nations, The Antonio Guterres, talking about a form of “apartheid” against her Africa and calling instead to make more tests on travelers.

“With this virus that knows no borders, travel restrictions that isolate a country or region are not just deeply unfair and punitive, they are ineffective,” he said. Gutters during a press conference, calling her “condemnation” a “scandal” Africa, where the percentage of the population that has been vaccinated is still very low.

Referring to South Africa, who informed the rest of the world about the detection of the Omicron variant on November 24 and sees one country after another closing its borders to its citizens, its leader UN stressed that countries should not suffer “collective punishment because they have identified and shared critical scientific and health data with the world”. This is “unfair”, it is “immoral”, he insisted.

“I make a very strong appeal — an appeal to common sense. We have all the tools to travel safely. “Let us use these tools to avoid this kind of apartheid, let me say, which I find unacceptable.”

“In this period of pandemic and climate crisis, the Africa sees itself condemned for not having the vaccines it needs for its people. THE Africa sees itself condemned because it does not have the necessary financial resources to revive its economies. THE Africa “It sees itself being condemned, without being responsible for climate change, suffering the worst consequences of climate change, without having the resources to strengthen the resilience of its people,” the UN Secretary-General said.

At his side, the chairman of the African Union Commission, The Musa Faki Mahamat, in turn denounced the “unjustified stigmatization” of the African continent. “Because it was transparent (…), its entire southern region Africa “There are sanctions,” he said, referring to border closures for citizens of peripheral states.

And this at a time when “less than 6% of Of Africans has been vaccinated “, he clarified, calling for more international solidarity to increase the percentage of the population that is protected from COVID-19.

“I urge all governments to consider repeatedly testing travelers, as well as other measures that are appropriate and truly effective,” he said. Antonio Guterres. “This is the only way to reduce the risk of transmission and at the same time allow travel and financial exchanges,” he explained.

THE Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has already spread to all continents, however European countries seem to be hardest hit and have begun, like other countries in the world, to tighten health restrictions, announce border controls, and impose travel bans on countries in the south. Africa, to make the use of the mask mandatory again in the means of transport and in the shops, etc ..