UN adopts pandemic declaration as US, Israel and Argentina vote against

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 13 — The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a political declaration calling for stronger global cooperation to prevent and respond to future pandemics, with the United States, Israel and Argentina voting against the text.

The declaration received 153 votes in favour, while New Zealand and Paraguay abstained, according to the reported voting record.

Rwanda, which co-facilitated the intergovernmental negotiations alongside Armenia, welcomed the adoption, describing it as an important step towards building a more resilient global health system capable of protecting lives from future pandemics.

In a statement, Rwanda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said the country was proud to have worked with Armenia to facilitate the negotiations.

“Rwanda is proud to have co-facilitated the intergovernmental negotiations alongside Armenia and welcomes today’s adoption as an important step towards building a more resilient global health architecture, better equipped to protect lives from the threat of pandemics,” the Mission said.

The declaration seeks to strengthen disease surveillance, improve emergency preparedness, expand access to vaccines and treatments, and mobilize sustainable financing to help countries respond to future health emergencies.

Its adoption followed disagreements that prevented the text from being approved by consensus at a high-level meeting on September 25, pushing the matter back to the General Assembly for consideration.

The declaration acknowledges that the world remains insufficiently prepared for future pandemics despite lessons learned from COVID-19 and other health emergencies.

It calls for coordinated action guided by scientific evidence, equity, respect for human rights and international solidarity.

It recognises that countries retain primary responsibility for the health and well-being of their populations but emphasises the need for regional and international cooperation to address infectious diseases that cross national borders.

A key issue is the outstanding negotiation of the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing Annex to the World Health Organization Pandemic Agreement, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2025.

The proposed system is intended to facilitate the sharing of pathogen materials and genetic sequence information while ensuring that countries receive a fair share of the benefits arising from their use, including vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tools.

The Pandemic Agreement cannot be opened for signature until member states conclude negotiations on the annex, which has remained a point of disagreement among countries.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the declaration, urging governments to translate their commitments into action, particularly by finalizing negotiations on the benefit-sharing framework.

“This important milestone reflects a shared commitment to equity, global solidarity and collective action to make the world safer from future pandemics,” Ghebreyesus said.

“We also welcome the ambition to successfully conclude negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing Annex.”

The declaration also highlights inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments varied significantly between countries.

It calls for increased investment in local and regional research, manufacturing and regulatory capacity, particularly in developing countries, to improve access to affordable medical products and reduce dependence on external suppliers during health emergencies.

Member states are further urged to strengthen early-warning systems, laboratory capacity, vaccination programmes and surveillance while improving coordination between human, animal and environmental health under the One Health approach.

Financing remains another major challenge. The declaration notes that international funding arrangements are fragmented and insufficiently coordinated, highlighting an estimated annual pandemic preparedness financing gap of $15 billion.

It calls for stronger domestic investment, international assistance and better coordination among existing global health financing mechanisms.

The text also emphasizes the need to maintain essential health services during emergencies, including routine immunization, maternal and child healthcare and mental health support.

It calls for measures to address misinformation and disinformation that can undermine public confidence in health authorities.

Although the declaration establishes a political commitment to stronger pandemic preparedness, it is not legally binding.

Its implementation will depend on action by individual governments and continued international cooperation.

The General Assembly has requested a report from the UN Secretary-General, prepared in consultation with WHO and other relevant agencies, during its 83rd session to review implementation and recommend further action.

The adoption marks another step in international efforts to prepare for future health emergencies, although negotiations on pathogen access and benefit-sharing remain central to determining how global cooperation will translate into equitable access to medical countermeasures.