Comment By UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk On Progress On Pandemic Agreement

17 April 2025

The consensus on a draft pandemic agreement is an important achievement in multilateral cooperation and a vital step toward ensuring a more equitable, just and rights-based global health response to future pandemics.

It shows what the international community can achieve when it comes together with a common purpose, guided by shared humanity and the lessons of profound loss.

While compromises were made to reach this draft agreement, it contains some encouraging elements to lay the ground for a more inclusive and just approach to pandemic prevention. I encourage States to ensure these are now translated into concrete action.

Let us take this opportunity to place equity, solidarity and human rights at the heart of global health prevention, preparedness and response – a need so starkly highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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