You're listening to a podcast from the BBC World Service. This is Hard Talk with me, Stephen Sacker.

Thanks for downloading this edition of the program. I do hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacker. My guest today has an

important dual perspective on the coronavirus pandemic,

currently having such a huge impact on individuals, communities and nations across the world.

David Miliband is president and CEO of the New York-based charity, the International Rescue Committee,

which offers humanitarian aid to people struggling to survive

war, displacement and extreme poverty. He is also a former UK Foreign Secretary who knows what it

means to have a seat at the top table of international diplomacy. During this global pandemic,

there's been precious little sign of intergovernmental

collaboration and collective leadership. Instead, the worldwide response has been characterized

by national self-interest, mutual suspicion, and recrimination. Given the potential for the spread

of this virus to the world's most vulnerable populations, how urgent is the potential for the spread of this virus to the world's most vulnerable populations,

how urgent is the need for a more collective approach? What lessons will we ultimately learn from

COVID-19? Well, David Miliband joins me now from the United States. Welcome to Hard Talk.

Thanks very much. Good to be with you.

This terrible pandemic represents a huge challenge right across the world. If we are to generalise massively at the outset of this interview, how do you feel the international community

is handling the response? To generalise

badly. We know that some countries have handled the disease well. Germany springs to mind,

South Korea as well. But we know that there's been far too much what I would call denialism,

too much head in the sandism, too much hoping for the best, and not enough of the kind of grip and unified action that's important,

both in some countries.

...