Pandemics pose a serious recurrent threat to global health and economic security.  By World Bank estimates, the annual global cost of a severe pandemic can reach as high as $570 billion (0.7% of global income.) Ebola and now Zika demonstrate the persistent risks to countries which do not possess adequate capacities to prepare and respond to emerging pandemic threats.

Dr. Kim will discuss what additional investments in global health are essential to better protect the world from the spread of pandemics and promote stable economies, including the launch of a Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility in late May at the G7 Summit in Japan.