WHO Director-General's remarks at the Eighth meeting of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) – 22 April 2024

Co-chairs Dr Abdullah Assiri and Dr Ashley Bloomfield,

Vice chairs, Member States,

Dear colleagues and friends,

A warm welcome to the last meeting of this historic working group before the 77th World Health Assembly in May.

I have read the Bureau's proposed text that you will be discussing this week, as you move towards the collective goal of making the IHR a tool fit for purpose in the years to come.

The text of the proposed amendments for most of the articles and annexes reflects the patience, flexibility, and commitment you have towards reaching a consensus over the past year and a half of deliberations.

In particular, I would like to commend your progress regarding the possible new designation of a "pandemic emergency", within the PHEIC process.

This week, I urge you to capitalize on this progress, and to focus on the provisions related to equity and to closing the gaps in the global health architecture that were exposed during the pandemic.

I trust in the constructive spirit that has driven your negotiations, and I hope you approach this final stretch of your negotiations, keeping in mind the importance of maintaining the universality of the IHR.

I would like to thank the working group for its efforts to maintain transparency, and for agreeing to the publication on the WHO web site of the Bureau's proposed text ahead of this meeting.

I don't need to remind you how important your work is, together with that of the INB.

Of course, there are many cross-cutting issues between both processes, and we very much hope that both groups will work with each other to conclude your respective work in time for the World Health Assembly in May.

Although this is the last scheduled meeting, I encourage you to take more sessions together if you need them.

We cannot afford to miss this opportunity.

Last week I was speaking with one Ambassador who said we probably would have concluded negotiations by now if we had been doing it with our masks on during the height of the pandemic.

But if we fail to conclude these processes now, it is only going to become more difficult to negotiate strong amendments to the IHR, and a strong pandemic agreement, in future.

Thank you all once again for your dedication to this process.

I leave you in the capable hands of your Co-Chairs, Dr Asiri and Dr Bloomfield, who have done an excellent job in guiding this complex and extremely important process.

I wish you a fruitful week ahead, and I thank you.

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