Though fast disappearing from public and political consciousness, COVID-19 continued to cast a long shadow in the discussions on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response at the UN High Level Meetings in New York this week where a declaration was accepted.
This clears the way, and sets the stage for deep negotiations in Geneva to take these discussions to a logical conclusion in the form of a new instrument to address pandemics and to amend the IHR.
In Geneva, diplomats met today for a resumed session of the intergovernmental negotiating body for a stocktaking session at the conclusion of informal consultations on certain provisions. A negotiating text for a pandemic accord is expected to be ready by mid-October as we reported previously.
In this story we bring you a quick wrap of key statements from countries and other actors.