GISAID joins the G20 Joint Finance & Health Ministerial Meeting

Yogyakarta, 20-21 June. Under the motto ‘Strengthening Global Health Architecture’ a delegation from GISAID attended the G20 Finance and Health Ministers meeting hosted by Indonesia, to discuss with G20 Member States’ and its partners their vision for GISAID+ (GISAID plus).

Global leaders reflected on the need to coordinate and strengthen resources during future pandemics. In particular Member States stressed the essential role GISAID plays in global health security, and discussed how global leaders could support GISAID’s expansion as a global resource to respond to other priority pathogens with major impact and pandemic-potential.

The G20 leadership affirmed GISAID as a partner, laying the foundation for GISAID+ as a globally-endorsed initiative for gathering and sharing genomic and other information on priority pathogens, respecting data ownership and facilitating rapid responses.

G20 Health Ministers have in turn expressed GISAID’s importance during the pandemic while stressing their commitment to GISAID long-term. Australia’s Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler highlighted the need to “discuss ways to build on some of the frameworks that have been so important globally during the pandemic” and emphasized "GISAID proved invaluable in sharing data.”  In 2017, Health Ministers from the G20 nations had recognized the importance of GISAID with regard to data sharing.