United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at a UN Security Council meeting on October 12, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

In a video message on the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (October 13), the UN chief said weak governance, growing poverty, biodiversity loss, collapsing ecosystems, and unplanned rapid urbanization are all interconnected drivers of disaster risk. Left unaddressed, they increase the need for humanitarian assistance. These problems hinder a global effort to fight COVID-19, resilience to climate change, and craft out future development plans.

Stressing the importance of international cooperation and solidarity, Mr. Guterres said it is about ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines for everyone, everywhere and dramatically increasing funding and support for climate change adaptation and building resilience.