Dear colleagues and friends,
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to all of you, and welcome to this first meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group on the Origins of Novel Pathogens.
Let me begin by thanking each of you for your interest in SAGO.
SAGO has been the subject of unprecedented global interest. We received more than 800 applications from more than 100 countries – well above the level of interest we usually receive for other advisory groups.
The group we have selected represents some of the world’s foremost professionals in your respective fields, with an impressive diversity of expertise, experience and disciplines, with good geographic and gender balance.
This is critical work at a critical time.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed serious gaps in the global capacity to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond rapidly to outbreaks with epidemic and pandemic potential.
One of those gaps is the lack of a rigorous and standardised process for studying the origins of novel and re-emerging pathogens.
Outbreaks of viruses, known and unknown, are a fact of nature. Part of being prepared for the next pandemic is planning what steps we will take to assess its origins.
That’s why we hope to achieve through SAGO: a robust framework outlining the range of studies that are needed in animals, humans, the environment, and biosafety and biosecurity.
This is essential for putting in place risk reduction measures, targeting surveillance and designing control measures for outbreak response.
At its heart, this is a scientific exercise.
As you know, the politicisation of the origins of SARS-CoV-2 has become a serious barrier to the scientific process of understanding where this virus came from. That puts the whole world at risk.
The aim of this group is to bring the focus squarely back to the science.
We look to you to provide candid advice to the WHO Secretariat on a global framework for studying the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens;
To advise on prioritizing studies and field investigations;
To shape SAGO’s workplan.
And to develop, monitor and support the next series of studies into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, including rapid advice on how to progress with the studies outlined in the report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on COVID-19.
I would like once again express my thanks to the members of the Joint Mission, for advancing our knowledge and understanding of SARS-CoV-2, and for identifying future studies that need to be done.
As you know, there has already been much attention on the establishment of this group. Your work will be under scrutiny, but I am confident that you will carry out your work with integrity and professionalism.
The WHO Secretariat is committed to supporting you, and this afternoon you will be briefed on different aspects of your work by our technical teams; as well as colleagues from compliance, risk management and ethics, and legal counsel.
Thank you once again for supporting this critical work with your time and expertise.
I am pleased to announce that I have appointed as Chair Dr Marietjie Venter, Professor of the Zoonotic Arbovirus and Respiratory Virus Research Programme at the University of Pretoria in South Africa; and as Vice-Chair Dr Jean-Claude Manuguerra, Research Director of the Environment and Infectious Risks Unit at the Institut Pasteur in France. Thank you both for accepting, and my thanks in advance for your leadership.
I wish you all a successful first meeting, and I look forward to your advice in due course.
I thank you.