QUITO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno on Wednesday called for "necessary and urgent" strengthening of the United Nations (UN) and multilateralism in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreno made the appeal in a prerecorded message broadcast during the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

"COVID-19 has put enormous pressure on multilateralism, because after six months, the emergency is not only one of health, but also one that is social and economic. Without exception, all countries have been hit by this deadly virus," he said.

Moreno said that the UN must now "turn good intentions into more concrete actions," and international collaboration and multilateral organizations are necessary in the current situation.

For Ecuador, which has registered 129,892 cases and 7,375 deaths from COVID-19, "the support of international financial organizations has been fundamental in these months," he said, commenting on how the International Monetary Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank helped to support declining economies in impoverished countries.

Ecuador supports the initiative to advance the "deep reform" of the UN system, Moreno said, noting that the organization must guarantee greater accountability and maximize its efficiency.

"We face the risk of falling back on the goals achieved in recent years," he said, adding that it is necessary "to have a strong, solid, and committed multilateral system that ensures financial and technical support for all," as the pandemic threatens to increase global poverty, inequality, and unemployment.