WASHINGTON — Today, the ONE Campaign issued the following reaction to the announcement that World Health Organization members adopted a “Pandemic Agreement” – a treaty aimed at preparing for and responding to future pandemics.

“COVID-19 exposed deep cracks in global cooperation and laid bare the fundamental inequalities in access to lifesaving tools,” said Serah Makka, Africa Executive Director at ONE.  “This historic agreement is a step toward making shared preparedness and response a global imperative, one that leads with equity at its core, ensuring low-income countries are not left behind. As a next step, countries should quickly agree to an equitable pathogen access and benefit sharing system to safeguard against the vaccine hoarding witnessed during COVID.

“But for any agreement to be effective, it must be enforced and include stronger provisions for equitable access to testing and treatment. It will also require a firm commitment to knowledge-sharing, and support for strengthening health systems — especially across Africa.”