The World Health Organization (WHO) and Brazil have called on global leaders to finalize a landmark Pandemic Agreement aimed at strengthening international preparedness for future health crises.

Axar.az reports, citing WHO, in a joint letter issued on Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the world must not repeat the failures exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused millions of deaths and severe economic losses.

“In a divided world, that outcome was not to be taken for granted,” the letter stated. “It was an act of hope and an act of faith in one another. We write to you now because that hope is not yet fulfilled and because it lies within your hands to help fulfil it.”

The leaders urged countries to complete negotiations on the pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) annex, a key component needed for the agreement to take effect. The framework would allow countries to share pathogen data quickly while ensuring fair access to vaccines, treatments, and other medical tools.

“Finishing this agreement is not a departure from that legacy,” the letter stated. “It is its natural next chapter, and it is within reach.”

Negotiators are expected to meet from July 6 to 17 to resolve remaining issues, with officials stressing the need for political commitment, equity, and urgency in reaching a final agreement.