The InterAction Council of former heads of state and
government supports the urgent need for a co-ordinated
global response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a
contribution to the public debate, the Council today
released “Global Responsibilities and an Emergency Framework
for Countries and Communities,” a briefing prepared by its strategic advisor on
global health, Dr. Joanna Nurse.
Global public health and pandemic preparedness have been a
priority area of the InterAction Council since 2014 when
the world was grappling with the largest outbreak of the
Ebola virus in history. The importance of collaboration
through international institutions has similarly been a
longstanding preoccupation of the Council. Following its
meeting on public health emergencies in 2015, the Council
recommended that states should not only affirm the
importance of the World Health Organization but also
commit to increased funding.
“In our interconnected world, multilateralism and
co-ordination are essential to successfully containing and
combatting virus outbreaks,” said Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and
Co-chair of the InterAction Council. “As the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, ‘We
are only as strong as the weakest health system.’ We must
strengthen and support our international systems so they
can provide the help that is so desperately needed during
times of crisis, particularly in the developing
world.”
In 2016, the InterAction Council recognized that the
“health of humanity depends on the overall health of our
planet.” In its final communique, the Council warned that
the “probability of a pandemic outbreak with serious
consequences is increased by population increase, change
in food and agriculture systems, and evolving land
use.”
“Global health security affects us all,” said Bertie Ahern, former Prime Minister of Ireland and
Co-chair of the InterAction Council. “The Covid-19 pandemic is providing us with countless
learning opportunities. We all hope to emerge stronger,
but we have an opportunity to also emerge better. Let us
reflect on not only the lessons of this time of crisis but
also on the years prior. When we rebuild, let’s do it
right. Our goal must be to build a healthier planet.”
The InterAction Council planned to meet to discuss
preparedness for the novel coronavirus at the beginning of
April in Malta, but like other international meetings
during this unprecedented time, those plans were
postponed. The emergency framework was developed by Dr.
Nurse for the Council members and other global leaders and
organisations as they consider the way forward during the
Covid-19 pandemic.
“This pandemic has revealed humanity’s vulnerability and
our deep sense of interconnectedness with each other and
our environment; as global citizens we need to look after
each other during this crisis and work together to create
a safe and sustainable world for the wellbeing of all on
this planet,” said Joanna Nurse, former Head of Health and Education for
The Commonwealth and strategic advisor to the
InterAction Council.
The framework has already been endorsed and supported by
the following organisations: The Aga Khan University, Amref Health Africa, Arab World Association of Young Scientists
(ArabWAYS), The Club of Rome, Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health, Commonwealth Human Ecology Council, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Commonwealth Medical Association, Faculty of Public Health UK, One Young World, Society for the Advancement of Science and Technology
in the Arab World (SASTA), University of Nairobi, World Federation of Public Health Associations
(WFPHA), World Organisation of Family Doctors (Wonca), World Psychiatric Association.
About InterAction Council
Established in 1983, the InterAction Council of Former
Heads of State and Government is an international
organization whose objective is to address long-term,
global issues facing humankind. Co-chaired by the
Honourable Bertie Ahern (Prime Minister of Ireland,
1997-2008) and H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo (President of
Nigeria, 1999-2007), the Council’s membership is comprised
of more than forty former heads of state and government
who volunteer their time to develop proposals for action
and submit them directly to national and international
decision-makers.
In its 37-year history, the InterAction Council has been
at the forefront of many prominent issues, most notably
the 1997 draft Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities; the 2010 Hiroshima Declaration, a powerful plea for the abolishment of nuclear weapons;
the 2012 report, The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent
Security Issue; and most recently, the 2017 Dublin Charter for One Health.
For further information, please visit the InterAction
Council website.