Zelensky: Ukraine joins creation of International Pandemic Treaty

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is convinced that states should work together to create an international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response.
He wrote this on Twitter in connection with the signing of the Communiqué on the International Pandemic Treaty, according to Ukrinform.

"Nations should work together towards a new international treaty for pandemic preparedness & response. We must unite to be better prepared to predict, prevent, detect, assess & effectively respond to pandemics in a highly coordinated fashion," Zelensky said.

The text of the Communiqué on the International Pandemic Treaty, which has been published on the website of the head of state, states that the COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest challenge to the global community since the 1940s and shows why joint action is needed to build a more robust international health architecture that will protect future generations.

"There will be other pandemics and other major health emergencies. No single government or multilateral agency can address this threat alone. The question is not if, but when. Together, we must be better prepared to predict, prevent, detect, assess and effectively respond to pandemics in a highly coordinated fashion," the document reads.

Communiqué participants state that committed to ensuring universal and equitable access to safe, efficacious and affordable vaccines, medicines and diagnostics for this and future pandemics.

The document also emphasizes that immunization is a global public good and that vaccines should be developed, manufactured and deployed as quickly as possible.

"Nations should work together towards a new international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response. Such a renewed collective commitment would be a milestone in stepping up pandemic preparedness at the highest political level. It would be rooted in the constitution of the World Health Organization, drawing in other relevant organizations key to this endeavour, in support of the principle of health for all," the Communiqué reads.

It says that "existing global health instruments, especially the International Health Regulations, would underpin such a treaty, ensuring a firm and tested foundation on which we can build and improve."

"The main goal of this treaty would be to foster an all-of-government and all-of-society approach, strengthening national, regional and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics," the document says.

This includes greatly enhancing international cooperation to improve, for example, alert systems, data-sharing, research, and local, regional and global production and distribution of medical and public health counter measures, such as vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and personal protective equipment.

In addition, such a goal would also include recognition of a "One Health" approach that connects the health of humans, animals and our planet. Such a treaty is expected to lead to more mutual accountability and shared responsibility, transparency and cooperation within the international system and with its rules and norms.

"To achieve this, we will work with Heads of State and governments globally and all stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. 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 document reads.