The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) called on Monday for countries to overcome the remaining obstacles to concluding the global pandemic treaty.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was speaking at the start of a meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the WHO Pandemic Agreement, taking place in Geneva through Friday.
It comes four months after countries adopted the world's first pandemic treaty, which he called "a generational accomplishment".
Tedros said the next step "is to bring this historic achievement to fruition" by finalizing the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system.
He urged countries to use this week to pave the way to developing the platform, with the ultimate goal of adoption next year.
"It is in every country's interest that this process is not delayed any further. Because, as we are all aware, the next pandemic or major global health emergency is not a question of if, but when," he said.
DR Congo: UN and partners support Ebola response in Kasai province
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing an Ebola outbreak in Kasai province, located in the southwest, with 35 confirmed cases including 27 deaths.
The UN and partners are supporting the Government in the response, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General said on Monday in New York.
Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that partners working in health have facilitated the delivery of over 350 doses of the Ebola vaccine to the Bulape health zone, the epicentre of the outbreak.
"We have also mobilized rapid response teams focusing on case detection and surveillance, clinical case management, infection and prevention control, and risk communication and community engagement," he added.
Meanwhile, health partners are mobilizing to contain the outbreak.
He warned, however, that gaps in medical supplies and logistical capacity are hindering the response, and urgent funding is needed.
Ukraine: Dozens of casualties reported in weekend hostilities
Hostilities continued over the weekend in Ukraine, with the Donetsk region particularly affected, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA ) reported on Monday.
Several civilians have been killed and 40 injured in the region since Friday, while local authorities also documented damage to nearly 190 civilian facilities, including homes, schools, a hospital and a pharmacy.
Other parts of Ukraine also experienced hostilities which damaged homes, farmland and other civilian infrastructure. Nearly 5,000 people remain without electricity in the Zaporizhzhia region.
OCHA said the continuing violence has forced more than 2,700 people, including roughly 340 children, to flee their homes between 12 and 14 September.
