BRUSSELS, Belgium
Leaders of 23 countries and the World Health Organisation on Tuesday backed an idea to create an international treaty that would help the world deal with future health emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic now ravaging the globe.
The
idea of such a treaty, which would ensure universal and equitable access to
vaccines, medicines and diagnostics for pandemics, was floated by the chairman
of European Union leaders Charles Michel at a G20 summit last November.
On
Tuesday it got the formal backing of the leaders of Fiji, Portugal, Romania,
Britain, Rwanda, Kenya, France, Germany, Greece, Korea, Chile, Costa Rica,
Albania, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands, Tunisia, Senegal,
Spain, Norway, Serbia, Indonesia, Ukraine and the WHO.
“There
will be other pandemics and other major health emergencies. No single
government or multilateral agency can address this threat alone,” the leaders
wrote in a joint opinion article in major newspapers.
“We
believe that nations should work together towards a new international treaty
for pandemic preparedness and response,” they said.
The
main goal of such a treaty would be to strengthen the world’s resilience to
future pandemics through better alert systems, data sharing, research and the
production and distribution of vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and personal
protective equipment, they said.
The
treaty would also state that the health of humans, animals and the planet are
all connected and should lead to shared responsibility, transparency and
cooperation globally.
“We
are convinced that it is our responsibility, as leaders of nations and international
institutions, to ensure that the world learns the lessons of the COVID-19
pandemic,” the leaders wrote.
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