Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issue a joint appeal urging world leaders to complete negotiations on a WHO pandemic agreement before a stated July deadline. The call comes as the G7 summit begins in France, with attention on global security and related matters. The leaders argue that the treaty, developed in the wake of Covid-19, needs decisive political support at the highest level to ensure countries can respond more effectively to future outbreaks.
The appeal is presented as an open letter to leaders across major groups and nations, including G7, G20 and BRICS, focusing specifically on finalising an annex covering “pathogen access and benefit sharing.” Reporting highlights that the urgency is reinforced by ongoing public health risks, including the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sources frame the message as a commitment to fulfil promises made after Covid-19 to those affected and those who died, emphasizing that action is required promptly rather than delaying until after another crisis begins.
