Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly Strategic Roundtable
This roundtable will focus on the Member State-led processes to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the loss of human life, disruption to households and societies at large, and impact on economies and development. To protect the world from future pandemics, Member States are engaged in processes to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, with a focus on closing existing gaps and building on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other disease outbreaks.
This strategic roundtable will, for the first time, bring together the three key Member State-led processes: the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response; the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR); and the high-level meeting of Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response by the United Nations General Assembly.
The co-chairs and co-facilitators of the three country-led processes will discuss on-going work and the complementarity of their mandates. They will address next steps and the role of Member States in facilitating a positive outcome. The speakers, representatives of Member States, other stakeholders, and the WHO Secretariat, will reflect on the significance of the processes, its potential impact and importance for every single person, as well as for countries, regions and globally.
The session takes place in UN Palais de Nations, Room XVIII on Monday 22 May 2023 between 13:00–14:15 CEST.
Moderator
Dame Barbara Stocking
Panelists
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
Mr Roland Driece, co-chair, Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB)
Dr Abdullah Assiri, co-chair, Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR)
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Health and Human Services, United States of America
Minister Hon'ble Lyonpo, Minister of Health, Bhutan (to be confirmed)
Dr Ayoade Olatunbosun-Alakija, Co-Chair, African Vaccine Delivery Alliance
Amb Omar Hilale, co-facilitator, UNHL
Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean