The Co-Chairs of The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response have welcomed the adoption of a historic pandemic agreement by the World Health Assembly, calling it a crucial step toward a safer and more equitable world.
“This agreement, bound by principles of equity and solidarity, recognises that even in uncertain times, the only way to prevent and mitigate the impact of pandemics is to work together — to protect everyone and leave no one behind,” said Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia.
The new agreement addresses key gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and lays out a framework for collaboration to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemic threats.
“We congratulate WHO Member States for remaining steadfast through nearly three years of tough negotiations,” said the Right Honourable Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand. “The agreement should ensure all regions have access to the tools they need to stop outbreaks before they become pandemics.”
Clark emphasised the urgency of moving forward: “Consider this agreement a foundation from which to build, starting today. Many gaps remain — in financing, equitable access to medical countermeasures, and in understanding evolving risks. Dangerous pathogens are looming, and they will not wait.”
In 2021, The Independent Panel recommended that a Framework Convention be adopted under Article 19 of WHO’s Constitution to address critical weaknesses in pandemic preparedness and response. The Panel had specifically called for provisions on research and development and technology transfer to tackle the glaring inequities seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While welcoming the new agreement, the Co-Chairs noted that the language on these provisions remains too narrow. They stressed that effective pandemic prevention must start with stopping outbreaks where and when they occur, which requires a public health approach rooted in global cooperation, regional self-reliance, and measurable technology and knowledge transfer.
They also called for the swift negotiation and finalisation of the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing Annex, the next phase in completing the agreement.
“We want nothing more than to see this pandemic agreement open for signature following the World Health Assembly in 2026,” said Sirleaf.
Both leaders urged Member States and donors to commit sufficient funding — including for the World Health Organization — to support the processes leading up to the first Conference of the Parties and to sustainably finance global pandemic preparedness and response.
“Preparedness remains vastly underfunded,” said Clark. “Countries, regions, and the global system must think differently — and think big — about how to finance this essential public good.”
