1) Madam Vice President addressed United Nations representatives and stakeholders on the Dialogue on the Pandemic Preparedness and Response. She urged that bold actions were needed to prevent, detect, and respond to the threat of future infectious disease outbreaks and ensure resilient health systems.

Screenshot: The White House/Youtube

Vice President Harris highlighted the need for every country to take proactive action now to create a lasting global health security architecture that will strengthen world wide health systems and make the world more resilient in the face of future pandemics. 

She also called for the establishment of sustainable financing for global health security as a critical first step. Emphasizing on the additional areas which requires urgent action, including: identifying the factors that could trigger an immediate ‘no regrets’ global response to the next pandemic, how to establish regional surge capacity to build resilience against outbreaks, innovative methods of finance, and how these lines of effort will be coordinated among Member States.

She made it clear that preventing the next pandemic will require strong partnerships and collaboration amongst every country. She then thanked participants countries for coming together and taking an important first step toward that goal and expressed their hope to continue the dialogue at upcoming multilateral engagements, which includes the Rome Global Health Summit and the World Health Assembly which takes place next month.

2) Like announced on my April 24th post, Madam Vice President held a virtual meeting with The Republic of Guatemala's Head of State, President Alejandro Giammattei held at the Ceremonial Office.

Photo Credit: Vice President/Twitter

During the meeting, Vice President Harris said the United States wants to increase foreign aid to the region and manage migration in a more secure and humane way as the Administration and every important international Organisations involved are looking for ways to defuse a migrant crisis at the U.S. border with Mexico.

She also said that in addition to both countries bilateral work and multilateral efforts, the United States is building a comprehensive strategy with international institutions, with allies around the globe, with foundations here in the United States, and the private sector as well as community organizations.