Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a landmark agreement on Tuesday on how to prepare for future pandemics following the Covid-19 outbreak, which killed millions of people between 2020 and 2022.
After three years of negotiations, the legally binding pact was adopted by the World Health Assembly in Geneva. WHO member countries welcomed its passing with applause.
The pact was widely seen as a victory for members of the global health agency at a time when multilateral organisations like the WHO have been battered by sharp cuts in US foreign funding.
โThe agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats,โ WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
He also touted the agreement as โhistoricโ during a time when many countries are putting national interests ahead of shared values and cooperation.