I opened the sixth and scheduled final meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the @WHO Pandemic Agreement, with its focus on negotiating the Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing (PABS) annex.
Next Monday marks five years since the publication of the op-ed (t.co/xd6VsNeR8P) I co-authored with 27 heads of state and government, calling for an international treaty on pandemic preparedness.
Five years ago, we began a journey, and now we can see the destination – consideration of the PABS annex at the upcoming World Health Assembly.
We’re so close – but of course, we’re not there yet.
The PABS Annex will operationalize key elements of the Pandemic Agreement: the rapid and timely sharing of pathogen information; and the timely and equitable sharing of benefits.
We must get this done. The next pandemic will not wait.
My speech: t.co/8ReGEeZpmn