Political Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response on 20th September 2023
On the 20th September 2023 the President of the General Assembly, together with the Heads of State and Government, participated in a one-day meeting aiming to take on a political declaration with the goal of marshing political will at the national, regional and international levels for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
The political declaration emphasizes the need for timely, urgent and continued leadership, global solidarity, multilateral commitment and cooperation among among Member States and with relevant United Nations entities and other relevant international organizations, to implement robust global, regional, national and local actions, driven by equity and the respect for human rights, to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and fully address the direct and indirect consequences of current and future pandemics.
The declaration includes a call for action on the topics of equity, global governance, leadership and accountability, overarching health related issues and financing and investments, which will contribute to increasing global efforts to fortify pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
The document calls for a follow-up, more specifically: the conclusion in 2024 of the negotiations of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body in Geneva, of an ambitious and legally binding convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; a request to the Secretary General of the United Nations to provide a report including recommendations on the implementation of the present declaration during the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly, which will serve to inform a high-level meeting to be convened in 2026; and a decision to convene a high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response in 2026 in New York.
The video of the High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response can be watched on demand at UN Web TV. The Political Declaration can be consulted below.