In 2019, the U.S. Government released our Global Health Security Strategy (GHSS).  The Strategy guides the work of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other interagency partners-including the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, and Health and Human Services-to increase the capacity in partner countries to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious-disease outbreaks whenever they occur.  As we know all too well, infectious-disease outbreaks do not respect national boundaries and can spread rapidly to jeopardize the health, security, and prosperity of every country-including the United States. 

Among other contributions to the U.S. Government's Global Health Security Strategy, USAID is a major funder of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA).  Renewed in 2019, the GHSA brings together governments, international and non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to work toward common goals in global health security to protect us all:

• Accelerating progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious-disease threats; 

• Promoting global health security as an international priority; and 

• Spurring progress toward the full implementation of critical global health security frameworks, particularly the International Health Regulations (2005). 

Today, I am proud to endorse the statement, released by the governments and organizations that are participating in the Steering Group of the Global Health Security Agenda, including the United States.  USAID remains firmly committed to achieving the goal of a world safer and more secure from infectious diseases, and is proud to be part of the U.S. Government's engagement in the multisectoral approach of the GHSA.

Please click here to read the U.S. Government's Global Health Security Strategy, and here to learn more about the Global Health Security Agenda.