TEHRAN – The United States has practically failed in the fight against COVID-19 by taking a political approach toward the global crisis, said Iranian Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari.

He made the remarks at a virtual global summit held by the International Labor Organization (ILO) to address the impact of COVID-19 on the world of work.

“The COVID-19 has put to test our beliefs in global solidarity, altruism, and cooperation. We need to together build a more resilient society. We need clear-cut crisis management systems and processes and the International Labor Organization has a key role to play.”

COVID-19 has disturbed the whole world, precisely, when many believed that the human being had surmounted all pandemics in light of the developed and medical knowledge and advanced health systems, but the rapid spread of the disease in every corner of the globe revealed how un-immune, vulnerable and off-guard man is against such crises. 

Coronavirus challenged not only the resilience of health systems but also the economic and social systems of all countries without discrimination.

COVID-19 proved that if the world is now facing a viral crisis it is because the world was unable to take steps towards true security, justice, and stability.

The devastating economic implications of the disease are undeniably manifested in this collection of already-existing deficiencies in the countries’ social-economic system, in terms of decent work, labor, widespread discrimination, etc.

The U.S. administration was one of the countries which because took a politicized position towards the crisis. Which ethical principle can justify the blocking of access path of a nation especially the most disadvantaged part of the society, such as workers, women, children, at medicine and medical equipment, and that under false pretexts?

The world has got to know that during this time and under the toughest of sanctions, the Iranian nation stood firm fighting against the virus, and fortunately, our health system and economy managed to contain the crisis despite facing the worst conditions.

Today, countries are going through various phases of managing the pandemic, what is obvious is the unsynchronized entry to these phases which can in the absence of close and coordinated cooperation, the multilateral system lead to the further extension of the crisis.

On the other hand, from now on, the ILO must initiate measures to immunize countries’ labor markets against a similar pandemic crisis to build a more resilient, more inclusive, and more sustainable world of work along with the recovery of member countries from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lessons learned for the countries, during the crisis of valuable sources to form a clearcut cooperation framework among regions and countries, to prevent similar future outbreaks, equally it is important to extend cooperation framework to post-crisis management and reconstruction.

The international organizations, particularly ILO, have a key role to play in this regard.

Iran has seriously taken the issue into account in every humanitarian, social, economic, income and protection aspect and following the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work, Iran has incorporated in the four themes including, strengthening the economy and employment, supporting enterprises, jobs, and incomes, supporting workers in the workplace, and social dialogue finding solutions, he explained.

We not only believe but also have the conviction that sustainable prosperity and wellbeing is possible to sustainable friendship, peace, and security in the world.

The outbreak of COVID-19 one second proved that the bonds and interconnectedness determined the fate of mankind irrespective of ethnicity, religion, race, language, and skin color, he concluded.

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