My 2020: Melissa Fleming

As the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic was realised throughout the year, plans and events were cancelled around the world. The Olympics and Expo are only two examples of the cancelations that organisers from all walks of life announced in 2020. One major milestone the world was meant to celebrate was the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. World leaders were slated to descend upon New York to mark the important occasion. Instead, travel was halted and heads of state gave their brief pre-recorded speeches to a largely empty General Assembly Hall.

Mrs Fleming spoke to The National of the role of the international organisation as a guest of the “My 2020” podcast.  Global cooperation is needed to tackle the challenges brought about by the pandemic. In addition to combatting the health and economic fallout from Covid-19, the United Nations has declared an “infodemic” that must be tackled. Mrs Fleming said that disinformation and fake news "in a public health crisis, is public harm. It makes people anxious, it leads them astray". The UN has launched an initiative called "Verified" to face this infodemic

Next year, a major task for the UN and governments will be getting Covid-19 vaccines  to people around the world - a logistical and resource challenge, complicated by disinformation campaigns against vaccines. Mrs Fleming warned: "We need to make sure that everybody has access, and even if it's only in our enlightened self interest, you know, nobody is safe until everybody is safe".

 

“My 2020” is a seven-part series, hosted by Mina Al-Oraibi, The National's Editor-in-Chief, speaking to leaders on how their lives and industries have been changed by Covid-19.