Catch up with the news!

Victor Ogunyinka

It is hard to go three sentences on a global issue without mentioning coronavirus that has since been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As at press time, there has been a total of 236,926 coronavirus cases, 9,834 deaths, 86,675 recoveries around the world.

Just like everybody else, world leaders have been making speeches and quotes to reaffirm their commitments to protecting the lives and properties of their citizenries.

We compile some of the quotes from presidents being affected by the dreadful coronavirus that has put even the world best economies on their knees.

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Angela Merkel of Germany said: “The situation is serious. Take it seriously. Since German unification, no, since the Second World War, there has been no challenge to our nation that has demanded such a degree of common and united action.”

Donald Trump of the United States of America said: “We must sacrifice together, because we are all in this together, and we will come through together. It’s the invisible enemy. That’s always the toughest enemy.

“But we are going to defeat the invisible enemy. I think we are going to do it even faster than we thought, and it’ll be a complete victory. It’ll be a total victory.”

Emmanuel Macron of France said: France will spend 45 billion euros ($50 billion) to help small businesses and employees struggling with the coronavirus outbreak, we are at war against the virus.”

Justin Trudeau of Canada said: “These are extraordinary times. Our government is taking extraordinary measures. The measures we’re announcing today will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses, plus $55 billion to meet liquidity needs of Canadian businesses and households through tax deferrals to help stabilize the economy.”

Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya said: “We cannot ignore the need to turn to God. In these circumstances as we have done in the past as a nation, we have always turned to God first to give thanks for the many blessings that He has bestowed on our nation.

“But we also turn to God to share our fears, our apprehensions, but also to seek his guidance and ever-present protection,” the President said.

Boris Johnson of United Kingdom said: “I can announce today, that after schools shut their gates from Friday afternoon, they will remain closed to most people, from further notice.”

Giuseppe Conte of Italy said: “I have been thinking about the old speeches of [Winston] Churchill – it is our darkest hour, but we will make it… No more nightlife; we can’t allow this anymore since they are occasions for contagion.”

Hassan Rouhani of Iran said: “It was difficult of course to shut down mosques and holy sites, but we did it. It was a religious duty to do it.”

Israel Netanyahu of Israel said: “In light of the world and national crisis, we have to unite our strength and form a strong and stable government that can pass a budget and take tough decisions.”

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi said: “In the UAE, we have adopted rational and early advanced precautionary measures before other countries around us to stand up to the challenge.

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“Therefore, the infection tally in the UAE is less thanks to our early response to contain the virus at its onset.

Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said: “Never before in the history of our democracy has our country been confronted with such a severe situation. There must be a change of behaviour amongst all South Africans.”

Recep Erdogan of Turkey said: “No virus is stronger than Turkey. “If we can manage this one- or two-week process well in our country and curb the spread of the disease, we will have a good picture before us.”

Vanguard