The United Nations Secretary General office has announced the publication of statements delivered by NGOs affiliated to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development that is currently taking place. Out of 179 statements was the declaration delivered by CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, says a press release from CIBJO.The CIBJO statement referred specifically to the current coronavirus pandemic and its impact on communities dependent upon revenues generated by jewellery, precious metals and gemstones. “The current COVID-19 pandemic poses massive health and economic challenges to the world community in general, and more particularly to those individuals and communities in developing countries, who rely on the support and economic leverage provided by the jewellery, precious metals and gemstone sectors. At the same time, new technologies and processes that are being applied to cope with the pandemic and its various impacts provide the promise of improving CIBJO’s ability to better serve its stakeholders beyond the crisis. Most importantly, COVID-19, which does not discriminate between people, nations and regions, underscores the degree to which all of humanity is interdependent,” it noted.
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished
