Dear colleagues and friends,
My sincere thanks to all of you for your willingness to join these two important IHR review committees at short notice.
As you know, in May I terminated the Public Health Emergencies of International Concern for both the COVID-19 pandemic and the multi-country outbreak of mpox.
While both COVID-19 and mpox no longer represent global health emergencies, they continue to represent global health threats.
As suggested by both Emergency Committees, I formed these review committees to provide standing recommendations for mitigating public health risks over the longer term.
These standing recommendations will provide a legal framework for WHO’s work in providing longer-term strategies to support Member States to respond to both diseases.
This will be the first time that Standing Recommendations will be issued since this provision was made in the 2005 revision of the International Health Regulations.
I intend to issue these recommendations at the beginning of August, when the current Temporary Recommendations expire.
Later today, the Chair of the Committees will brief Member States on the outcome of the meetings.
They can then provide comments and guidance over the next couple of days, to inform your technical advice and reports.
I will present the Standing Recommendations to the World Health Assembly in 2024.
Thank you all again for your time and expertise, and your commitment to making our world safer.