Mon Feb 17 14:34:56 UTC 2025: ## WHO Chief Urges Global Pandemic Accord Despite US Withdrawal
**Geneva, February 17, 2025** – The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, issued a stark warning on Monday, declaring that securing a landmark global agreement to combat future pandemics is a matter of “now or never,” despite the United States withdrawing from negotiations.
Addressing WHO member states at the opening of the 13th round of negotiations in Geneva, Dr. Tedros emphasized that no nation can effectively shield itself from the next pandemic alone. This statement comes just three days after the Trump administration formally notified the UN that it would no longer participate in the pandemic agreement talks.
The current negotiations aim to finalize a draft accord by the World Health Assembly in May. While significant progress has been made, disagreements persist, particularly regarding access to and equitable sharing of benefits derived from pathogens with pandemic potential, such as vaccines and treatments.
Dr. Tedros underscored the urgency of the situation, referencing the devastating impact of COVID-19, which claimed an estimated 20 million lives and crippled global economies. He highlighted the ongoing threats posed by diseases like Ebola, Marburg, measles, mpox, and influenza, along with the looming danger of an unknown “Disease X.”
The U.S. withdrawal, announced on Friday, follows President Trump’s January 20th executive order initiating the process of withdrawing from the WHO altogether. While expressing regret over the U.S. decisions, Dr. Tedros urged a reconsideration, stating that bilateral agreements are insufficient and that pandemic prevention and response is a collective responsibility. A further one-week negotiating session is scheduled before the May assembly.
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