Canadian Prime Minister Discusses COVID-19 Pandemic With Jamaican Counterpart And UN Secretary-General

OTTAWA, Ontario, May 15, 2020 (CMC) – Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, held talks, Wednesday, with his Jamaican counterpart, Andrew Holness, and United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for the developing world.

A brief statement, from the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, said the leaders reaffirmed the importance of co-ordinated, multilateral action in responding to the health emergency and socio-economic impacts of the crisis.

“COVID-19 is a rapidly-evolving global challenge. The government of Canada is working closely with local, provincial, and international partners to minimise the virus’ health, economic, and social impacts in Canada, and around the world,” the statement said.

The virus was first detected in China, last December, and has, so far, been blamed for causing the death of more than 300,000 and infecting 4.5 million others, worldwide.

Jamaica is the only Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to have, so far, recorded more than 500 cases of the virus. It has also recorded nine deaths.

The statement said that the leaders discussed the important role Canada and Jamaica can play — as co-chairs of the Group of Friends of Sustainable Development Goals Financing — in support of the UN’s efforts to mobilise international action, to assist developing countries, in both responding to, and recovering from, the pandemic, in a way that builds more resilient and inclusive economies and societies.