PHNOM PENH, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen told the 31st extraordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that the COVID-19 pandemic should not be politicized as solidarity and unity are indispensable to defeat the disease.
In a pre-recorded video statement delivered to the session, Hun Sen said the battle against the COVID-19 should not be taken by any country as its own geo-political agenda.
"While lives of millions of people around the world are at risks, no country shall politicize the public health issue and denounce the ability to contain the spread of this infectious disease as it would not add any benefit to the fight against this pandemic," he said.
"In contrast, the regional and global solidarity and unity are indispensable elements during such a crisis period," he added.
Hun Sen said the fight against this global pandemic requires a joint prudent decision-making, under the framework of multilateralism, by respecting international laws and sovereignty of each individual nation with the United Nations and the World Health Organization as the core agencies.
"I would like to reiterate Cambodia's support for the roles of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in their global efforts to respond and fight against this pandemic," he said.
"Moreover, Cambodia would like to underline the importance and the urgency of the COVID-19 vaccine as a global public good, which its supply and distribution shall be carried out in a humanitarian spirit for all countries, especially the most vulnerable ones," he added.
The Cambodian prime minister said that in the post-COVID-19 era, it would be crucial for countries to maintain multilateralism, globalization, trade liberalism, regional and global supply chain, cross-border trades, investment, international tourism and people mobility.
The 31st extraordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly was held on Dec. 3-4 in New York via videoconference, aiming to mobilize joint and global responses from the international communities in the fight against the pandemic. Enditem
