Zelenskyi, along with several world leaders, calls on countries to sign the International Pandemic Treaty
photo: OPU
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, together with several leaders of other countries, called on the world community to sign the International Pandemic Treaty.
The press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine reports.
According to the communiqué on the agreement published on the president's website on Tuesday, such a document will also allow humankind to prepare for the pandemics that await us in the future.
"No government or multilateral agency can deal with this threat alone. The question is not whether it'll be, but when. Together, we must be better prepared to predict, prevent, detect, assess and respond effectively to pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic has become a painful reminder that no one is safe until everyone is safe," the statement said.
It also stresses that its signatories seek to ensure universal and equitable access to safe, effective, and inexpensive vaccines, drugs, and diagnostic tools to combat this and future pandemics, as "immunization is a global public good and will need to develop production and introduction of vaccines as soon as possible."
"It is for this purpose that the international program Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) was established to promote equal access to tests, treatment, and vaccines and support health systems around the world. ACT-A has already achieved results in many aspects, but equal access hasn't been achieved yet. We can do more to ensure global access," world leaders said.
They emphasize all countries need to start working together on a new international treaty on pandemic preparedness and response.
Such a renewed collective commitment will be an important milestone in strengthening pandemic preparedness at the highest political level. The treaty will be based on the Statute of the World Health Organization and, with the involvement of key organizations in this field, and will support the principle of "health for all." The existing instruments of global health care, especially the International Health Regulations, will form the basis of such an agreement, providing a solid and proven foundation that we can build on and improve," the document reads.
The primary purpose of the agreement will be to encourage a nationwide approach and participation of the entire society, strengthening national, regional, and global capabilities and resilience to future pandemics.
This includes a significant increase in international cooperation to improve, for example, alert systems, data exchange, research and local, regional, and global production and distribution of medical countermeasures and public health measures such as vaccines, medicines, diagnostic tools, and individualized protection.
The document should also include recognition of the "Single Health" approach, which links human and animal health to our planet. Also, such a document should lead to greater mutual accountability and shared responsibility, transparency, and cooperation within the international system with its rules and regulations.
"To achieve this, we'll work with Heads of States and Governments around the world and with all stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. We're confident that our responsibility as Heads of State and International Organizations is to ensure that the world learns the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic," the published communiqué reads.
The document was signed by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, the Prime Minister of Portugal, Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania, Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, Sebastian Pinera, President of Chile, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica, Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, Kais Saied, President of Tunisia, Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain, Alexander Vucic, President of Serbia, Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
