We are delighted to offer the fourth (2019) volume of the EtYIL. It has come at a time when the international community is in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic and its grave socio-economic impacts, killing hundreds of thousands of people, infecting millions, and impoverishing many more worldwide, especially those at the bottom of the economic ladder leading a hand-to-mouth existence. The spread of the disease and the subsequent lockdown has raised many questions of international law, including in the areas of international public health regulation, human rights, international economic law, and institutions. Most, if not all, states have declared ‘war’ against the disease, imposed restrictions on international travel, introduced mandatory quarantine procedures, and banned the exportation of COVID-19-essential personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies—to name only a few. COVID-19 has not only tested the adequacy of international law and its institutions in responding to universal health emergencies, but also exposed the deficit in the commitment of sovereign states to global values and genuine cooperation.
Towards a Global Order Based on Principles of Fairness, Solidarity, and Humanity