During the Paris Peace Forum 2023 edition held on November 10-11, PREZODE coorganized a roundtable entitled: “from Science to Policy: Informing Decision-Making on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness & Response”.
The sixth Paris Peace Forum took place on November 10-11, 2023. The overarching theme, “Seeking Common Ground in a World of Rivalry,” engaged global governance leaders to address the paramount challenges of our era.
PREZODE co-organized a roundtable on the 10th, titled “From Science to Policy: Informing Decision-Making on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness & Response”.
The roundtable discussion hosted high-level speakers who contributed diverse analyses. Participants emphasized the One Health approach and the role of the science-led PREZODE initiative in cultivating and enriching such dialogues.
Dame Barbara Stocking, Chair of the Panel for a Global Public Health Convention, stressed the necessity of “a permanent dialogue between scientists and policymakers to ensure trust and acceptance of health measures”. Highlighting the regional aspects, Marie Ange Saraka-Yao, Chief Mobilization and Growth Officer at Gavi, emphasized “access issues, regionalization, and the need for diverse scientific solutions in times of crisis”.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, highlighted the necessity for a holistic approach, regretting that “Our scientific, international organization and government worlds are still very siloed”, while Eloise Todd, Executive Director of Pandemic Action Network, acclaimed One Health as a “game changer,” stressing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach that engages all stakeholders, including communities.
Anne-Claire Amprou, Ambassador for Global Health, France, highlighted PREZODE’s tangible impact, demonstrating the value of this approach to decision-makers. Elisabeth Claverie de Saint Martin, CEO of CIRAD, elaborated on PREZODE’s step-by-step approach, empowering at-risk populations through the development of a One Health community.
Investment in prevention is key
Science-society-policy dialogues necessitate robust investment in pandemic risk prevention policies, addressing human, economic, and social aspects. Osman Daar, former Member of the One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP), and Priya Basu, Executive Head of the Secretariat, Pandemic Fund, stressed the under-investment in prevention, especially concerning socio-economic factors driving spillover. Governance plays a pivotal role in enabling an inclusive dialogue. Agnès Soucat, Head of the Health Division at Agence Française de Développement, highlighted the importance of “transparent and autonomous governance structures,” advocating for “the integration of scientific guidance into policy dialogues through structured approaches involving data, dialogue, and political decisions”.