What happened at the U.N. meeting on pandemic preparedness?

Governments have met at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 25 September 2026 for a high-level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. The meeting was convened to renew political commitment after the COVID-19 pandemic and to seek agreements that will strengthen global readiness. Member states have discussed a political declaration and the unfinished Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex that underpins the WHO Pandemic Agreement. WHO has warned that continued investment and sustained action are needed to reduce the risk of future pandemics.

Although many countries supported the draft, objections by the United States and a few other states prevented a consensus adoption on the day. The United States said it could not support the text in full, citing unresolved references and language that it viewed as problematic. The European Union has expressed concern that some passages cross red lines on intellectual property and that technology transfer must be voluntary and on mutually agreed terms. Negotiators continue to debate how to share pathogen samples and the benefits that follow. The declaration will be considered again and may come to a General Assembly vote in December 2026.