WHO, World Bank, IMF back debt relief for developing economies in pandemic, says Tedros

2 Apr 2020 • 7:14 AM MYT
Malay Mail
Malay Mail

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Director General of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference on the situation of the coronavirus, in Geneva February 28, 2020. — Reuters pic

GENEVA, April 2 — The World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) are calling for debt relief to help developing countries address the social and economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the WHO chief said yesterday.

“Many countries, developing countries, cannot really support their societies especially during lockdowns, especially those community members who work for their daily bread. That is why we call on the international community to have debt relief to support those countries,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual news conference in Geneva.

“We are proposing an expedited process to support countries so their economies are not getting into crisis, (and) their communities are not getting into crisis,” Tedros said. — Reuters