A MOMENT FOR REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
But the rest of the world would still benefit from the consistency and coordination that structured governance provides.
For Singapore – and Southeast Asia as a whole – the treaty presents both a shared responsibility and a valuable opportunity.
With its strong infrastructure, depth of experience and established capabilities, Singapore is well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to pandemic preparedness. This includes continued domestic efforts, as well as support for regional capacity-building, advancing legal and scientific cooperation, and demonstrating practical ways to fulfil treaty commitments.
Working closely with ASEAN, Singapore can help strengthen collective efforts in disease surveillance, emergency response and health security. This could include supporting pooled procurement of essential medical supplies, regional stockpiles, advancing platforms for cross-border data sharing, and contributing to joint financing mechanisms. Regional capacity-building will be critical to making the treaty work in practice.
This proposed pandemic treaty offers a blueprint for a more cooperative, fairer response to global health emergencies – but its impact will hinge on the actions taken in the months and years ahead.
The world came together to agree on the words. The real test lies in what happens next.
Elyssa Liu leads the Legal Frameworks and Governance team at the Duke-NUS Centre for Outbreak Preparedness in Singapore.
