Latest news with #WorldHealthAssembly
Scoop
22-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Salvaging SDGs Still Possible, But Countries Must Act Now: Guterres
21 July 2025 Addressing ministers at UN Headquarters in New York, he called for urgent action to rescue lagging Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) amid war, inequality and fiscal strain. 'Transformation is not only necessary – it is possible,' he declared, highlighting landmark commitments adopted in recent months: the Pandemic Agreement at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, pledges to expand marine protected areas at the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice, and the new vision for global finance agreed in Sevilla at the fourth International Financing for Development Conference. 'These are not isolated wins, they are signs of momentum and signs that multilateralism can deliver.' The remarks opened the ministerial segment of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the UN's central platform for reviewing the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs. Get back on track Mr. Guterres warned that the world remains far off track to meet the 2030 targets. 'Only 35 per cent of SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress. Nearly half are moving too slowly. And 18 per cent are going backwards,' he said. He urged governments to act with urgency and ambition. 'The Sustainable Development Goals are not a dream. They are a plan – a plan to keep our promises to the most vulnerable people, to each other, and to future generations.' Citing gains since 2015, including expanded social protection, declining child marriage and growing women's representation, he said the SDGs remain 'within reach' if world leaders channel resources and political will. The Secretary-General also linked development and peace, noting ongoing violence in Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine and elsewhere. 'At every step, we know sustainable peace requires sustainable development,' he said, calling for immediate ceasefires and renewed commitment to diplomacy. Double down on multilateralism Bob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council, echoed the SecretaryGeneral's call, warning that global disruption – from climate change to economic disarray – requires deeper solidarity. 'The SDGs are not optional ideals, but rather essential commitments,' he said. 'Now is not the time for us to abandon our ideals…it is now actually the time to double down on our multilateral obligations to one another.' Mr. Rae cautioned that shrinking national budgets and rising nationalist politics are undermining progress but insisted that 'multilateralism delivers real, tangible benefits for people at every level of society.' He called for closer partnerships with civil society, local governments, and the private sector, stressing that SDGs must be 'integrated into budgets and policies around the world, not as at odds, but as the core of how governments should serve their people.' Match ambition and delivery Philémon Yang, President of the General Assembly, emphasized aligning political commitments with concrete action. He praised the Compromiso de Sevilla and last year's Pact for the Future, which aim to reform global financial systems, scale up climate finance, and strengthen international tax cooperation. 'The gap between ambition and delivery can only be closed through solidarity, resources and political will,' he said. 'The deadlines for the 2030 Agenda are fast approaching,' he warned. 'Whether we like it or not. And while progress is lagging, we have the tools and ambition to deliver.' Accountability and partnership The HLPF, established at the landmark Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012, serves as the primary UN platform for monitoring SDG progress, including through Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). This year's forum, convened under the auspices of the ECOSOC, runs until 23 July with a focus on five goals: health, gender equality, decent work, life below water, and global partnerships. More than 150 countries have presented VNRs – with 36 reporting this year – showcasing national efforts and challenges in implementing the 2030 Agenda. Mr. Guterres praised the reviews as 'acts of accountability' and 'templates for other countries to follow and learn from.' With just five years left to meet the global goals, he urged ministers to 'transform these sparks of transformation into a blaze of progress – for all countries.'
The Sun
19-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
US rejects WHO pandemic reforms under Trump administration
WASHINGTON: The United States has formally rejected amendments to the World Health Organization's pandemic response framework, with the Trump administration arguing the changes infringe on national sovereignty. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr announced the decision, stating the reforms risk undue interference in US health policy. 'We will put Americans first in all our actions and we will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans' speech, privacy or personal liberties,' Rubio and Kennedy said in a joint statement. The rejected amendments, agreed upon at the 2024 World Health Assembly, aimed to strengthen global disease response mechanisms, including provisions for equity in health emergencies. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed disappointment, stating the amendments 'are clear about member states sovereignty' and do not mandate lockdowns. The reforms included a commitment to study developing nations' needs during health crises. Conservative groups in Britain and Australia have also opposed the changes, fearing overreach. The US had already begun withdrawing from the WHO earlier this year, following Trump's return to office. The Biden administration had participated in 2024 negotiations but refused consensus over intellectual property concerns. Rubio and Kennedy criticized the WHO for alleged susceptibility to political influence, particularly from China. Tedros defended the organization as impartial, working 'with all countries to improve people's health.' - AFP
Al Arabiya
19-07-2025
- Health
- Al Arabiya
Trump pulls US from World Health pandemic reforms
President Donald Trump's administration said Friday the United States was rejecting reforms agreed last year to strengthen the World Health Organization's pandemic response, saying they infringed on national sovereignty. Trump, who returned to office on January 20, immediately began the country's withdrawal from the UN health body. The State Department said language adopted in 2023 would still have been binding on the United States despite the pullout. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of vaccines, said in a joint statement the changes 'risk unwarranted interference with our national sovereign right to make health policy.' 'We will put Americans first in all our actions and we will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans' speech, privacy or personal liberties,' they said. Rubio and Kennedy formally disassociated the United States from a series of amendments to the International Health Regulations—legal instruments that guide global cooperation in combating disease—that were adopted at the 2023 World Health Assembly in Geneva. 'We regret the US decision to reject the amendments,' WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement posted on X. He stressed that the reforms 'are clear about member states' sovereignty' and said the WHO 'cannot mandate lockdowns or similar measures.' The changes included a stated 'commitment to solidarity and equity,' and established a working group to assess the needs of developing countries in future emergencies. Countries have until Saturday to formally lodge objections to the reforms. Conservative activists and vaccine skeptics in the United States, Britain and Australia have led public campaigns against the changes, even as those nations' governments supported them. The amendments were passed after countries failed to agree on a more ambitious global pandemic treaty. Most member states finalized a version of that treaty in May 2025, though the United States did not participate as it was then in the process of leaving the WHO. Under President Joe Biden, the United States took part in negotiations during May–June 2024 but declined to support a final consensus, citing concerns about protecting US intellectual property rights related to vaccine development. Rubio's predecessor, Antony Blinken, had welcomed the WHO reforms as progress. But Rubio and Kennedy said the changes 'fail to adequately address the WHO's susceptibility to political influence and censorship—most notably from China—during outbreaks.' The WHO's Ghebreyesus said the organization 'is impartial and works with all countries to improve people's health.'
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Donald Trump administration pulls U.S. from World Health pandemic reforms
President Donald Trump's administration said on Friday (July 18, 2025) the United States was rejecting changes agreed last year for the World Health Organization on its pandemic response, saying they violated the country's sovereignty. Mr. Trump on returning to office on January 20 immediately began his nation's withdrawal from the U.N. body, but the State Department said the language from last year would still have been binding on the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who is a longtime critic of vaccines, said the changes 'risk unwarranted interference with our national sovereign right to make health policy.' 'We will put Americans first in all our actions and we will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans' speech, privacy or personal liberties,' they said in a joint statement. Mr. Rubio and Mr. Kennedy disassociated the United States from a series of amendments to the International Health Regulations, which provide a legal framework for combatting diseases, agreed last year at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. 'We regret the US decision to reject the amendments,' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement posted on X. He stressed the amendments 'are clear about member states sovereignty,' adding that the WHO cannot mandate lockdowns or similar measures. The changes included a stated 'commitment to solidarity and equity' in which a new group would study the needs of developing countries in future emergencies. Countries have until Saturday (July 19, 2025) to lodge reservations about the amendments. Conservative activists and vaccine skeptics in Britain and Australia, which both have left-leaning governments, have waged public campaigns against the changes. The amendments came about when the Assembly failed at a more ambitious goal of sealing a new global agreement on pandemics. Most of the world finally secured a treaty this May, but the United States did not participate as it was in the process of withdrawing from the WHO. The United States, then under Ppresident Joe Biden, took part in the May-June 2024 negotiations, but said it could not support consensus as it demanded protections for US intellectual property rights on vaccine development. Mr. Rubio's predecessor Antony Blinken had welcomed the amendments as progress. In their rejection of the amendments, Rubio and Kennedy said the changes 'fail to adequately address the WHO's susceptibility to the political influence and censorship — most notably from China — during outbreaks.' WHO's Ghebreyesus said the body is 'impartial and works with all countries to improve people's health.'
RTHK
18-07-2025
- Health
- RTHK
Trump pulls US from World Health pandemic reforms
Trump pulls US from World Health pandemic reforms US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy is a long-time critic of vaccines. Photo: Reuters US President Donald Trump's administration said on Friday the United States was rejecting changes agreed last year for the World Health Organization on its pandemic response, saying they violated US sovereignty. Trump, on returning to office on January 20, immediately began the withdrawal of the United States from the UN body, but the State Department said the language from last year would still have been binding on the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, who is a longtime critic of vaccines, said that the changes "risk unwarranted interference with our national sovereign right to make health policy." "We will put Americans first in all our actions, and we will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans' speech, privacy or personal liberties," they said in a joint statement. Rubio and Kennedy disassociated the United States from a series of amendments to the International Health Regulations, which provide a legal framework for combating diseases, agreed last year at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The amendments included a stated "commitment to solidarity and equity" in which a new group would study the needs of developing countries in future emergencies. Countries have until Saturday to lodge reservations about the amendments. Conservative activists and vaccine sceptics in Britain and Australia, which both have left-leaning governments, have waged public campaigns against the changes. The amendments came about when the Assembly failed at a more ambitious goal of sealing a new global agreement on pandemics. Most of the world finally sealed a treaty this May, but the United States did not participate as it was in the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization. The United States, then under President Joe Biden, took part in the May-June 2024 negotiations, but said it could not support consensus as it demanded protections for US intellectual property rights on vaccine development. Rubio's predecessor, Antony Blinken, had welcomed the amendments as progress. (AFP)
