'Humiliating' - former PM Helen Clark slams NZ abstention on UN pandemic vote
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has criticized the current government for abstaining from a UN vote on pandemic preparedness. The government stated the abstention was necessary to protect national sovereignty regarding future health agreements.
Why it matters
The disagreement highlights ongoing debates regarding international cooperation versus national sovereignty in the post-pandemic global health landscape.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has slammed New Zealand's abstention on a vote on global pandemic preparedness at the United Nations, describing it as "humiliating".
New Zealand was among five countries that did not vote for a UN declaration designed to strengthen national, regional and international co-operation in the event of a future pandemic.
The United States, Israel and Argentina voted against the Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, while New Zealand and Paraguay abstained.
The other 153 member states of the UN voted for the declaration, which called for "stronger national, regional and international cooperation, guided by science, equity and respect for human rights, and it welcomes last year's landmark adoption of the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement".
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