UK statement at 77th World Health Assembly on IHR amendments
UK statement on adoption of International Health Regulations amendments. Delivered on 1 June 2024 at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
The UK would like to thank the Bureau and Working Group for all their work.
The International Health Regulations are an important technical framework that helps to prevent and protect against the spread of disease.
This set of proposed amendments updates the regulations to reflect lessons learned, including from COVID-19.
Every Member State, including the UK, now has the right under the Regulations to evaluate each and every amendment before making a sovereign choice of whether to accept or opt out of each of - or all of - the amendments.
In the UK, we have a general election on 4th July and we are therefore in a formal pre-election period. It will be for the elected government to make that choice.
The UK recognises the importance of ongoing cooperation including as we continue to discuss a new pandemic accord following the delay agreed this week.