'Now or never' for pandemic accord, says WHO chief after US pulls out

U.S. President Donald Trump stands during the national anthem prior to to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida.[AFP]

The head of the World Health Organization insisted on Monday it was "now or never" to strike a landmark global accord on tackling future pandemics, despite the United States withdrawing from negotiations.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said no country could protect itself from the next pandemic on its own -- three days after US President Donald Trump's administration formally told the United Nations health agency it would play no further part in the pandemic agreement talks.

"We are at a crucial point as you move to finalise the pandemic agreement in time for the World Health Assembly" in May, Tedros told WHO member states at the opening of the week-long 13th round of negotiations at the organisation's Geneva headquarters.

"It really is a case of now or never. But I am confident that you will choose "now" because you know what is at stake."

A further one-week session is planned to finalise the agreement before the WHO's annual decision-making assembly.

In December 2021, fearing a repeat of the devastation wrought by Covid-19 -- which killed millions of people, crippled health systems and crashed economies -- countries decided to draft a new accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

While much of the draft text has been agreed, disputes remain over some key provisions, notably over sharing access to pathogens with pandemic potential and then equitably sharing the benefits derived from them, such as vaccines, tests and treatments.

Protect future generations

"You remember the hard-won lessons of Covid-19, which left an estimated 20 million of our brothers and sisters dead, and which continues to kill.

"They are why we are here -- to protect future generations from the impact of future pandemics," said Tedros.

"The next pandemic is a matter of when, not if. There are reminders all around us -- Ebola, Marburg, measles, mpox, influenza and the threat of the next disease X."

Hours after returning to office on January 20, Trump signed an executive order to start the one-year process of withdrawing from the WHO, an organisation he has repeatedly criticised over its handling of Covid-19.

The order also said that during the withdrawal process, Washington would "cease negotiations" on the pandemic agreement.

Tedros said Washington had formally notified the WHO on Friday of its withdrawal from the agreement talks.

"No country can protect itself by itself. Bilateral agreements will only get you so far," Tedros said, adding that prevention, preparedness and response was the responsibility of all countries.

"Like the decision to withdraw from WHO, we regret this decision and we hope the US will reconsider," he said.