Fiji has expressed its in-principle support for the proposed Pandemic Agreement during the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA), currently taking place in Geneva.

Delivering Fiji’s national statement, Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services, Honourable Penioni Ravunawa, acknowledged the global efforts led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish a new international agreement aimed at strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

“Fiji strongly endorses the Pandemic Agreement’s focus on prevention, the One Health approach, research and development, equitable access and benefit sharing, technology transfer, diversification of production, sustainable financing, and robust governance mechanisms,” said Ravunawa.

He also commended the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) for its leadership in shaping the draft agreement over the past three years.

“Fiji has been actively involved in the negotiations since they began in February 2022. We believe in the importance of a unified and coordinated international response to future pandemics,” he said.

Fiji’s statement was delivered at approximately 5:28pm Geneva time (3:28am Fiji time), underscoring the country’s continued commitment to multilateral cooperation in global health.

The 78th WHA is being attended by health ministers and senior officials from around the world, with discussions focused on strengthening international health regulations and finalising the Pandemic Agreement for adoption.