"Most member nations spoke in support of the declaration, but some rich countries had strong objections." "Most member nations spoke in support of the declaration, but some rich countries had strong objections."
"The United States on Friday rejected a declaration by member countries of the United Nations that pledged international collaboration and solidarity in preparing for and responding to pandemics.
The European Union also expressed strong objections to parts of the statement.
The declaration, the product of a high-level U.N. meeting on pandemic preparedness, is largely ceremonial. It is not legally binding, and does not set rules for what countries should do during pandemics. But its universal endorsement would have signaled a powerful expression of global political commitment to the issue.
The criticism by some of the wealthiest countries sharpened the divide that became apparent during the coronavirus pandemic, when low-income nations lagged richer countries by more than a year in being able to provide vaccines to citizens."
Apoorva Mandavilli reports for the New York Times September 27, 2026.
