Minister for Health welcomes draft WHO agreement on tackling future pandemics
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 16 April 2025
- Last updated on: 16 April 2025
The Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has today welcomed the preliminary consensus on the World Health Organisation’s Pandemic Agreement, which was reached early this morning, in Geneva, by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body.
After three years of intensive negotiations, the agreement outlines a framework for improving global collaboration and strengthening capacities for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
"Ireland, together with the other WHO Member States, has today taken a major step forward in efforts to make the world safer from future pandemics by forging a draft agreement for consideration at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May. I want to pay tribute to all involved in negotiating this agreement. It illustrates the power of working together towards shared goals and demonstrates global commitment to protect us all from future pandemics."
Interim Chief Medical Officer Professor Mary Horgan said:
"This agreement represents very positive progress in strengthening global pandemic prevention and preparedness and ensures that the world will be equitably united to respond swiftly to any future pandemics."
Notes
On 1 December 2021, the members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) reached consensus to begin the Member State-led process to negotiate a convention, agreement, or other international instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, commonly known as the Pandemic Agreement.
The aim of the Pandemic Agreement is to protect public health and to help save lives in the event of future pandemics.
An Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) was established and met for the first time on 24 February 2022. The INB has met thirteen times to progress work on drafting this agreement.
The Pandemic Agreement is expected to be formally adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025, which the Minister for Health is expected to attend.