UK’s Key Address at UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Today, families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are enduring the heartbreak of losing loved ones to Ebola. The toll is devastating, with thousands of lives lost. Health workers, demonstrating unparalleled bravery, put themselves at risk daily as they respond to this urgent crisis. Communities already grappling with conflict and displacement are now faced with yet another overwhelming challenge.

The spread of outbreaks is often a result of delayed action. The lessons learned from previous experiences are unmistakable. We understand what effective measures entail: robust surveillance systems, reliable local health infrastructures, scientific advancements, and swift access to financial resources. Furthermore, it is clear that no single nation can tackle these challenges in isolation.

UK’s Commitment to Strengthening Health Initiatives

In light of this, the United Kingdom is proud to support an Africa-led response to the Ebola crisis, having allocated £78 million to enhance surveillance and frontline health services. Through the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), we are backing the development of five vaccine candidates in collaboration with scientific partners from both Africa and the UK.

This week, the UK government announced an additional commitment of up to £100 million towards CEPI’s 3.0 strategy, which aims to foster the creation of new vaccines to mitigate the threats posed by pandemics and epidemics, Ebola included. However, we recognise that this is only a part of what must be done.

Advancing Global Cooperation for Early Response

On a global scale, there is an urgent need for enhanced cooperation, accelerated information-sharing, and prompt financing, enabling nations to take proactive measures before crises escalate uncontrollably. This is precisely why the UK supports the World Bank’s Day Zero Financing Framework, which will facilitate access to crucial funding for vaccines and treatments as soon as warning signs emerge.

Moreover, we are dedicated to strengthening multilateral collaboration in health security. This encompasses the finalisation of negotiations regarding the World Health Organisation’s Pandemic Agreement, particularly its Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System. Preparedness is fundamentally about solidarity and collective action.

Lessons from COVID-19 and Future Preparedness

The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated that diseases do not acknowledge borders, and the next pandemic will similarly disregard national boundaries. It is imperative that we learn from these experiences and invest in preparedness to construct a safer, healthier future for everyone.