Pandemic prevention must be for all

Caritas Europa joins dozens of religious leaders and faith-based organisations worldwide to urge the Pandemic Accord negotiators, including the European Union, to ensure that the final text secures equity commitments to protect all populations everywhere from future pandemics.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, United Nations member states are crafting a new international agreement to bolster pandemic prevention, preparedness and response efforts. Negotiations on this “Pandemic Accord” are nearing conclusion, with the final text slated for presentation to the World Health Assembly in May.

Ahead of the Assembly and evoking previous calls made during the pandemic, we urge the EU to bring global solidarity and justice to the heart of the negotiations and to support an Accord which ensures that knowledge and technology needed to produce the tools to fight the next pandemic are shared and that intellectual property barriers are removed when necessary.