2023-05-20 21:35:19
Mr. Hilale made the call in his capacity as Facilitator of the United Nations General Assembly on the High-Level Meeting and Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, to be held on September 20 in New York, at the level of Heads of State and Government.
Speaking at the Special Session of the Working Group on Health of the Ad Hoc Technical Committee on Health and Population, co-organized by the African Union Commission and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Africa (CDC Africa), the diplomat spoke of a historic opportunity to defend African interests and priorities in this health context, particularly in light of the presence of an African Director General at the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Morocco’s role as facilitator of the political declaration of the high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Mr. Hilale underscored the need to mobilize African Heads of State so that the continent does not face shortcomings and failures as in the past, as well as the imperative to remain united to achieve better results for the continent. , which is called upon to strengthen the central role of the WHO, as a central player in the global health structure.
The diplomat welcomed Africa CDC’s wise and timely initiative to establish the Informal Committee of African Negotiators on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, and the invitation extended to him to serve as as a member and principal negotiator of the said committee.
Regarding the high-level meeting, scheduled for September 20 in New York, Mr. Hilale noted that the event is the first of its kind at the United Nations General Assembly.
“This unique situation requires in-depth reflection for the elaboration of the preliminary draft of the Political Declaration. This involves the cooperation and support of the African delegation to ensure that our priorities and interests are preserved,” he said.
The diplomat also stressed the importance of ensuring interdependence and integration between the processes under way in Geneva and New York, referring to the consultations under way in Geneva under the auspices of the World Health Organization. Health, by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) on a new agreement or treaty on epidemic prevention, preparedness and response, as well as the work of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005).
Prevention, preparedness and response to epidemics require a multisectoral and multidimensional approach, which takes into account the political, social, economic, environmental and structural determinants of health, as well as the impact of pandemics, he continued, recalling that the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that governments and the global multilateral system are not equipped to deal with the scale and complexity of health situations.
And to clarify that African countries have been the hardest hit and have suffered the most from vaccine inequality and vaccine nationalism.
In conclusion, Mr. Hilale stressed the need to seize the opportunity of the high-level meeting in New York, in order to prepare the African continent to face future pandemics, by betting on the active participation of African ministers of health. meeting and galvanizing political momentum to draw attention to the legitimate needs and priorities of African countries.
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