NEW YORK, USA

COVID 19: IPSP endorses calls for universal ceasefire in war and conflict zones

Our world is in the grip of a common enemy which has no care or thought for faith, nationality, culture or gender.
The coronavirus has shown it will strike anywhere and target the most vulnerable in our midst including the disabled, old and infirm.
The thought of it rampaging through the thousands of refugee camps around our troubled world is indeed a fearful prospect.

That is why we at the International Parliament for Safety and Peace IPSP-WOS welcome the call for an immediate global ceasefire made by the

UN Secretary General, António Guterres.

IPSP is not alone in its views; our global IPSP ambassadors also fully endorse the call for an international cessation of all conflicts and welcomed similar calls made by the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis.

Speaking at his weekly blessing, delivered from the official papal library instead of St. Peter’s Square because of the lockdown here in Italy, he singled out the call for a global ceasefire so the world can focus on fighting the coronavirus pandemic and specifically mentioned the appeal Guterres had issued.
Despite some encouraging news in some parts of the world, it is clear the coronavirus epidemic is far from over, according to the World Health Organization.
While the United States recorded its deadliest day yet on Monday, with another 540 deaths taking its fatalities past 3,000, infections have now exceeded 770,000 cases worldwide. America, Italy and Spain have all overtaken mainland China in confirmed cases.

ISPS  Secretary General Alfredo Maiolese said: "Parallels on the social effects of the pandemic have been made with World War Two and the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak which killed an estimated 50 million. Therefore we welcome the call by Mr Guterres and the endorsement by His Holiness, Pope Francis to bring an end to all wars so we can focus on this battle against Covid 19.

"It is vital that the UN is allowed to succeed in mediations for peace in the world's conflicts especially those in the Middle East. Humanitarian aid is already over stretched in countries like Syria, Yemen and Libya."

IPSP President Eugenio Lai added: "Millions across the Arab word depend on aid for their existence and the arrival of this pandemic in the refugee camps and war zones will undoubtedly bring about the collapse of the already fragile health systems in place.
IPSP Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Fahed Merehbi said:"Covid-19 is our common enemy and unless the world unites as one fighting this pandemic will be all the more difficult. The only way to respond is by bringing about a universal ceasefire in all wars so we can can use our energies, instead, to end this deadly pandemic."