Joint Statement by Secretary Of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken

Under President Biden’s leadership, the United States has coordinated global efforts to end the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure the international community is better prepared to respond to the next pandemic.

Consistent with our longstanding commitment to global health and security, the United States has worked closely with allies and partners to help safeguard the world from biological threats, including infectious disease outbreaks. Our first responsibility is protecting the lives and livelihoods of the American people and the security of our country. We cannot do that effectively unless we are preventing, detecting, and stopping outbreaks before they reach our shores.

That’s why we are working constructively with the global community to negotiate an international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The proposals the United States has advanced would help secure the health and wellbeing of the American people, as well as people around the world, while also protecting against social and economic upheaval from future pandemics as the world experienced from COVID-19.

The United States’ commitment to protecting lives around the world is steadfast and unwavering. PEPFAR, one of our nation’s most profound global investments, has saved 25 million lives. During the West African outbreak of Ebola that started in 2014, the United States supported the accelerated development of critical vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics and, since that outbreak ended in 2016, we have continued to ensure that African nations have had timely access to medicines during every Ebola outbreak. We are improving global coordination, investing in countermeasures, and taking on emergent challenges like Antimicrobial Resistance. 

The proposals we have advanced underscore our commitment to work together, with the international community, to prevent health crises like COVID-19 from happening again.

For additional information, please visit: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/03/29/joint-update-department-state-department-health-human-services-negotiations-toward-pandemic-accord.html