Trinidad and Tobago among countries calling for new international treaty to improve pandemic response

(United Nations News) A group of world leaders have joined the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in calling for an international treaty to improve pandemic preparedness and response in the wake of COVID-19, for the sake of future generations. 

In a joint article published on Tuesday across leading news platforms, the signatories said that the coronavirus pandemic had been a “stark and painful reminder that nobody is safe until everyone is safe” and that “there will be other pandemics and other major health emergencies”. 

“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”, they said.

The main goal of the treaty, which would be rooted in the WHO Constitution, would be to foster a comprehensive approach to strengthen national, regional and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics, the leaders added.

Standing with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the leaders signing on so far, represent Albania, Chile, Costa Rica, the European Council, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.

Read more at: United Nations News

Source: CARICOM TODAY