Egypt’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Alaa Youssef highlighted the need for a “comprehensive approach in dealing with human rights challenges” under the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Youssef’s comments came during a videoconference meeting on Friday with Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, according to state-run Middle East News Agency.
During the virtual meeting, the diplomats discussed the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on human rights.
Youssef highlighted the impact of the crisis on the rights to life, work, food, health, access to medicine and other economic and social rights.
He called on the High Commissioner to ensure the international response plans to the pandemic include recommendations to mitigate the effects of the crisis. This would be especially important in developing countries that have limited medical resources and capabilities.
Youssef also highlighted the possible measures that can be taken to reduce the external debt burden on those countries.
In Egypt, the total number of coronavirus cases has reached 1,794, with 135 fatalities as of Friday.
The global number of confirmed coronavirus infections has exceeded 1.5 million, with a total death toll of over 89,400, according to a Reuters tally on Thursday.
