Ministry of Health and Welfare

For the international cooperation to make this world safe and secure

from infectious disease threats

Global Health Security Agenda 2015 High-Level Meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in September

- Leaders from around 50 countries and major international organizations of health security are scheduled to attend this meeting in Seoul -

- The Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense, announces that they will convene the second Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) High-Level Meeting in Seoul, at the InterContinental Seoul COEX Hotel from September 7 to 9.

- AS THE THREAT OF infectious diseases, once used to be just a part of the public health problem which could be solved at a national level, has grown to seriously affect the security of the whole society and the survival of all human beings;

IN THE MULTILATERAL EFFORTS TO build an international cooperation system where countries support and cooperate with one another for dealing with health security issues, with an aim of enhancing their own capabilities to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats,

In February, 2014, the GHSA was launched, with around 23 countries and international organizations in attendance. In September, 2014, at a time when Ebola virus spread around West Africa, the first high-level meeting was held in the White House in the presence of U.S. President Barrack Obama, in order to discuss countermeasures against the spread of Ebola.

- The first Washington conference was aimed at taking countermeasures to confront the threat of the emerging infectious disease. This year's second Seoul conference will be a chance to make such joint efforts more concrete, focusing on the establishment of a worldwide network for strengthening the capabilities to detect early by sharing outbreak information and respond rapidly by making cooperation system closer and stronger.

As for the Republic of Korea, it will actively share its experiences in preventing, detecting and responding to infectious disease threats, with its increasing awareness of the importance of national health security especially while faced with the threat of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

This conference will provide the platform for discussions among government representatives and experts from all around the world about multi-sectoral cooperative strategies for better public health and security.

- The result of discussions at this meeting will be announced in the form of a joint statement ("Seoul Declaration") proposing the spirit and vision of GHSA and a framework for international cooperation.

This will help encourage countries around the world not only to improve national prevention and control system but also to work together to build an advanced health security system across the world.

- In addition, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will hold a forum for the general public on September 7, along with the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), inviting the world's leading experts in health security*.

* They include Thomas Frieden (Director, CDC, U.S.), Keiji Fukuda (Assistant Director General for health security, WHO), Brian Evans (Assistant Director General, World Organization for Animal Health) and Peter Jan Graaff (Regional Interagency Ebola Crisis Lead, UN).

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said that this forum will provide a chance for the public to communicate with experts in health security and raise their awareness of the issue.

* To participate in this forum, see http://www.ghsa2015seoul.kr/forum.php

ANNEX:GHSA'S EVENT SCHEDULE AND PROGRAMS OF THE OPEN FORUM

- Scheduled events of the Second GHSA Seoul Meeting