World Leaders Renew Commitment to Protect the World From Future Pandemics
World leaders have renewed their commitment to making the world safer from future pandemics, calling for sustained investment, stronger health systems and closer international cooperation. The pledge was made on September 25 in New York during the second United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.
Reviewing Three Years of Progress
The meeting looked back at what has changed since the first such gathering in 2023. Leaders recognised progress in strengthening global systems to detect, prepare for and respond to pandemic threats. Key steps include the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement and amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005). Global capacity has also grown through centres for epidemic and pandemic surveillance, pathogen sharing, and local manufacturing of vaccines, treatments and diagnostics.
A Call for Equity and Cooperation
Khalilur Rahman, President of the 81st UN General Assembly, opened the meeting by stressing that international cooperation is essential to protect the world from what he called inevitable future pandemics. He said this means equitable and timely access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and other essential medical supplies, as well as stronger health systems and closing persistent financing gaps. He told delegates that the world has the knowledge, the tools, the science and the hard lessons of COVID-19.
Lessons From COVID-19
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed and worsened the fault lines of global health security and taught the world painful lessons. He noted that the disease was linked to more than 20 million excess deaths between 2020 and 2023 and caused losses of over US$10 trillion to the global economy. He urged continued investment to sustain progress and prepare for future threats.
Concrete Commitments
Tedros welcomed the political declaration and said countries had agreed on measurable and urgent action. The commitments include building and strengthening local and national capacities, investing in resilient health systems, fostering trust in public health institutions, and ensuring solidarity and equity in access to products, tools and resources. The declaration also highlights a One Health approach, which links human, animal and environmental health, on the view that preventing pandemics starts long before an outbreak.
The Pandemic Agreement Still Needs to Be Finished
The WHO Pandemic Agreement was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2025. It will enter into force once 60 countries ratify it. An annex to the agreement is expected to be considered for adoption at the World Health Assembly in May 2027. The WHO thanked the co-chairs from Armenia and Rwanda for leading the negotiations and said it looks forward to supporting countries in meeting their commitments.
Ebola Outbreak as a Reminder
Officials pointed to the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a reminder that epidemic threats are always present. They said such outbreaks matter not only to local communities but to the whole world, which is why surveillance, rapid response and trust in health authorities remain priorities.
Continued Leadership Needed
Leaders stressed that protecting people from future pandemics will require continued political leadership, international cooperation and long-term funding. Declarations alone do not stop outbreaks, and the challenge now is turning promises into action, from ratifying the agreement to financing health systems in lower-income countries.
Looking Ahead
Attention now turns to the formal adoption of the political declaration and to the May 2027 World Health Assembly. Whether countries follow words with resources will help determine how ready the world is for the next outbreak.
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