Chairperson,

Director General Dr. Tedros, 

Distinguished colleagues,

We wish to thank the Director General and the Secretariat for organizing this Special Session. We also appreciate the weekly Member State briefings which we find informative.

We are also thankful for the presence of our colleagues, in Geneva and around the world. Meeting while many of us are still in the midst of a long battle against COVID-19 serves as a testament of our shared commitment to ensuring global health through multilateralism and solidarity.

In the same spirit, we are proud to participate in the COVAX Facility, jointly convened by Gavi, CEPI, and the WHO. We strongly support the goal of ensuring fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, which is based on strong practical and moral bases. This initiative is a first-of-its-kind and will set a precedent for future pandemics – may they never come. We should thus build this framework together and ensure that all Participants agree, both in process and retrospect, that the Facility operate in a fair, comprehensive, efficient, and timely manner.

We take this opportunity to extend our deepest appreciation to frontline workers around the world, including medical teams, who work tirelessly and out of a deep sense of devotion and commitment to assuring that all of us are safe. 

Chairperson.

We Member States and the whole world, turn their eyes to the WHO for guidance and leadership. The WHO's performance relies heavily on the ability to adapt to fast changing reality. In this regard, we wish to stress two points:

Firstly, an independent evaluation process is a source of strength, and a pre-condition for assuring accountability. The ongoing work of the IOAC, the IPPR, and the IHR committee serve as an important basis for improvement. In this context, it is crucial to avoid duplication between the work of these bodies, and assure efficiency. 

Secondly, guidance and input from Member States is another source of strength. While the WHA73.1 resolution on COVID-19 response reflects Member States’ priorities and preferred future steps, fast developments demand more frequent opportunities for inclusive consultations and input from Member States.

We ask that the Office will facilitate dedicated discussion on: The WHO Allocation Framework and Future directions for strengthening the WHO (reform). 

We look forward to receiving updates from the Co-Chairs of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, the Chair of the IHR Review Committee and the Chair of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.

I thank you for your attention, and wish all of my esteemed colleagues health during these times.