United Nations, May 29 (RHC)-- The United Nations chief is warning world leaders that the COVID-19 pandemic will cause "unimaginable devastation and suffering around the world," with historic levels of hunger and famine and up to 1.6 billion people unable to earn a living unless action is taken now.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a high-level meeting that COVID-19 could also lead to "a loss of $8.5 trillion in global output, the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression of the 1930s."

Guterres called for Immediate and collective action in several critical areas: enhancing global financial liquidity; providing debt relief; engaging private creditors; promoting external finance; plugging leaks in tax evasion; money-laundering; and corruption. He also wants to make sure the recovery tackles the climate crisis.