Thank you, Ilona.
Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear colleagues and friends,
Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world many painful lessons.
In my remarks last night, I outlined four areas in which I believe the global health architecture must be strengthened to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond rapidly to outbreaks with epidemic and pandemic potential.
One of those is the need for new, powerful systems and tools for global surveillance, to collect, analyse and disseminate data on outbreaks with the potential to become epidemics and pandemics.
Viruses move fast, but data can move even faster.
With the right information, countries and communities can stay ahead of emerging risks, and save lives.
Urbanization, deforestation, climate change and intensified agricultural practices are all increasing the risks of epidemics and pandemics, including those of zoonotic origin and antimicrobial resistant pathogens.
At the same time, new technologies are giving us the ability to predict, prevent, detect and respond to outbreaks faster than ever before.
Harnessing the power of these new technologies to save lives is not just an opportunity, it’s an obligation.
In October last year, Chancellor Angela Merkel and I first discussed the idea of a new platform to enhance global capacity for pandemic and epidemic intelligence.
That is what the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence is all about: leveraging innovations in data science, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other cutting-edge technologies, and fostering greater sharing of data and information, between communities and countries.
No single institution or nation can do this alone. That’s why we have used the term “collaborative intelligence”, to capture the essence of our collective mission. It is not a single, centralized system, but a constantly evolving global network, designed for a fast-changing and unpredictable future.
The WHO Hub will bring together scientists, innovators, policy makers, One Health specialists, and civil society representatives from around the world to work across borders and disciplines, making collaborative intelligence a reality.
The knowledge and insights developed through the WHO Hub are designed to be put to practical use on the ground all over the world to improve detection, risk assessment, forecasting, and speed up the use of expanded genomic sequencing and diagnostic efforts.
The tools and capacities developed at the WHO Hub will be achieved through collaborations among public health practitioners working at the local level, and connected at the regional and global levels.
It is a mosaic approach, an epidemiological ecosystem. The old rigid, siloed, hierarchical approaches are no longer sufficient or practical.
It is time for public health to catch up with other fields of sciences, like CERN’s global network of supercomputers, or the hyper-local networks of hundreds of thousands of weather stations that contribute to a global commons.
What we have started in Berlin is the first building block of a strategic effort to building country and workforce capabilities, expand training, and support national public health institutions and emergency operations centres.
In line with the recommendations of recent reviews of pandemic preparedness and response, this is part of WHO’s commitment to keeping the world safer, to being the organization the world needs, and to giving countries the information and tools they need to protect their people.
No one has done more to make the vision of the WHO Hub a reality than Chancellor Merkel.
Under her leadership, Germany has become a leading advocate for global health. This far pre-dated the current crisis, going back to the 2007 G8-Summit, which mobilized 60 billion US dollars for global health.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the German government moved quickly to expand its financial support for WHO, becoming our biggest donor, and was one of the first supporters of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, so that we could get therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines to the countries that needed them most.
It is that kind of international solidarity and forward thinking that the WHO Hub represents, working with partners around the globe to bring new technology and methodologies to all countries in an equitable, collaborative fashion.
You’ll be hearing about all of this in much more detail from my brother, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, our new Assistant Director-General for Emergency Health Intelligence, formerly head of Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control. I’m glad also that the Honourable Minister of Nigeria is with us today. Thank you sir, for joining us.
I cannot tell you how pleased and honoured I am that Chikwe will be joining us and leading this visionary effort. Of course, the hub is a game-changer and he knows he has big responsibilities. And since we spoke about him taking over this Hub, I could see how seriously he has taken it.
I would also use this opportunity to thank Bernhard Schwartländer, my former Chief of Cabinet and my dear brother, for really building the first blocks that are necessary for this Hub.
We hope to hear from many of you and your colleagues. Please spread the word. We are looking for committed and diverse researchers from around the world to come and join us on this journey.
The Hub is founded on the belief that global problems require a collaborative response that connects local and global efforts. By working together, we can build a healthier, safer, and more sustainable world for all.
I also would like to share with you that this Hub will benefit if the pandemic agreement or pandemic treaty becomes a reality. As you know, the pandemic treaty was first proposed by the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel. I am glad that he is joining in this panel, because realizing the pandemic treaty will be good support for the Hub. Because many of the things we are saying will get some obligations from countries to contribute to the Hub.
Once again, thank you so much Ilona for this opportunity.
Thank you.