General Assembly Adopts Pandemic Declaration Without U.S. Consensus
The General Assembly has adopted a political declaration focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The declaration passed with 153 votes in favor, three against (Argentina, Israel, and the United States), and two abstentions (New Zealand and Paraguay). This declaration was initially intended for approval by consensus at a high-level meeting on September 25, but objections from the United States and other nations prevented this. The adopted text is political and non-binding, advocating for enhanced national, regional, and international cooperation guided by science, equity, and human rights. It also acknowledges the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement from the previous year. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the commitment from UN Member States, urging them to finalize negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system annex, which is crucial for the WHO Pandemic Agreement to become international law. The PABS system outlines how cou...
