Your Excellency Ms Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, The Right Hon Helen Clark,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,                                                                               

I am honoured to be part of this roundtable to discuss the work of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. We welcome the work of the Independent Panel in reviewing response systems, identifying gaps and risks, and making specific recommendations on how to address these weaknesses. The mandate of the panel is founded on the firm conviction that we must act now as a global community to prevent another pandemic from ever again causing such death and devastation.

We know that it is the virus that causes the disease, but it is human action – and inaction – that causes the pandemic. A vital lesson from the coronavirus pandemic is the necessity for collective leadership, collaboration, solidarity and innovation among the countries of the world.

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