Co-chairs, Ambassador Tovar and Ambassador Amprou,
Our vice-chairs, Ambassador Dlamini, Dr Al-Mandhari and Dr Viroj,
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues and friends,
Two weeks ago, I asked you to negotiate with the intention of concluding, to focus on what is essential, and to keep public health as your guide.
Thank you for the seriousness and good faith with which you have done so.
You have made good progress, and the differences between you are narrower than when you began.
There is more green and yellow than there was two weeks ago.
That progress is real, and it is worth building on.
I am pleased to note that you have committed to reconvening in February, which shows your commitment to completing this process.
While you have been meeting, about 400 students from more than 50 countries were also here at WHO for the Global Model WHO. Some of them are here.
They have discussed several questions with which Member States are wrestling:
Urban health; oral health; artificial intelligence and trust in health information; the ethical recruitment of health workers; the commercial determinants of health;
And they adopted a resolution on plastics and health that will feed directly into WHO’s work on that issue.
They spent the week practising what you do and they are following your work closely.
Like you, they have experienced that multilateralism is never easy, but always worth it.
I know these two weeks have demanded long days and late nights. I am grateful for your commitment.
I am also encouraged by the positive atmosphere that has carried you through these two weeks.
This was only possible through your collective efforts as the IGWG, under the able leadership of the Bureau.
It also depended on the invaluable contribution of the co-facilitators, and the support of your Secretariat. Thank you all.
At the opening of this session, I was reassured to hear the full commitment of delegations to conclude the negotiations in time for the World Health Assembly next year.
What we need now is to translate that commitment into reality in the room, and to move decisively towards concluding the text.
I have seen signs of that during IGWG9, and I hope you will carry that momentum forward.
You don’t need me to tell you that time is of the essence.
The deadline is not May. The deadline is the next pandemic, which could arrive at any time.
Your work is urgent, and our utmost priority in the coming few months.
Completing it will allow the WHO Pandemic Agreement to open for signature and be considered for ratification.
We all know that despite the progress you have made, much work remains.
This will require accelerating all efforts, in formal and informal settings, and through cross-regional and bilateral discussions.
The aim is to bring views closer together, towards a common position that all sides can live with.
The areas that remain to be addressed are clear. We all know what they are, and we all know the respective positions.
I encourage you to move away from restating positions, and to work towards a streamlined approach.
I would like to acknowledge our co-facilitators: Alicia from Spain, Claudia from the Dominican Republic, Eirik from Norway, James from Tanzania, Ryan from Canada, Suvanga from Nepal, Suzanne from the Netherlands, and Zhen from China.
You have worked tirelessly over the past two weeks, and throughout the intersessional period.
You have reached out to delegates and listened to them. You have brought forward proposals that could bring us closer to our shared goal: a functional PABS System that belongs to everyone around this table.
I encourage you to continue your efforts, and to intensify them in the weeks ahead. Let us try to advance as much as possible before the end-of-year festivities.
You have earned the trust of the IGWG, the appreciation of the Bureau, and our full support.
Please continue your impactful contribution to this process, towards its successful conclusion in time for the Eightieth World Health Assembly.
Excellencies, colleagues,
As you return to your capitals, and back to your families, I leave you with three asks.
First: move forward with urgency and with a mindset of concluding.
Identify what you cannot live with, and show flexibility on the rest, mindful that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.
Second: your biggest asset is trust, so invest in it. Trust each other, trust your co-facilitators, trust the Bureau, and trust your Secretariat.
Third: put public health at the centre. Uphold it as the North Star that guides your work and shapes the provisions that will deliver on equitable access.
We started this process together. We have gone through it together. And we will conclude it together.
That is the only way to be strong in the face of common threats like outbreaks and pandemics.
Once again, the Secretariat is here to support you, and we will do everything we can to facilitate your work.
The Bureau approached me with some asks this morning, and I have instructed that we do whatever we can to support you. Rest assured.
I wish you all safe travels home, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thank you.