GEG Seminar with Chilean Ambassador To Switzerland, Frank Tressler Zamorano: "The path to a binding Treaty for better preparedness and response to future pandemics."

To join the GEG Seminar remotely:

• https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86052766591?pwd=RDJ5T0htUU5VZzVsWmlLVlF1UmFxQT09
• Meeting ID: 860 5276 6591
• Passcode: 388076

The global experience in the treatment of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrated the need to establish new international regulations to enable us to address future health crises. In a globalized society where one of the certainties is that we will have to face new pandemics, it makes it necessary for us to reformulate and adapt the existing rules for the treatment of global health emergencies.

The serious effects of COVID-19, reflected in the loss of human life and socioeconomic consequences, led Chile to reflect on the need to strengthen the current global health architecture, in order to be better prepared and with more efficient responses in case of future pandemics. In particular, with regard to the inefficiencies observed and the shortcomings detected in order to be able to overcome them through a legally binding instrument that complements the current health regulations, within the framework of the WHO.

In this sense we are talking about an international regulation that not only contains sanitary provisions, but also one of the experiences is that to have an effective response a multidimensional approach is required, where it is necessary to regulate matters as diverse as transboundary movement of people, trade in medical supplies and intellectual property for the case of vaccines.

During the current negotiation process there is consensus on the need to work taking the principles of equity, universality, inclusivity and "One Health", which in some way must coexist with the particular interests of each of the 193 States, where keeping sovereignty when defining their public health policies is one of their priorities. Now we have to wait to see the outcome of the negotiation and whether the States are willing to give in favor of humanity being better prepared to face future pandemics.

Biography of Ambassador Frank Tressler Zamorano

Frank Tressler Zamorano born in Santiago Chile, November 3th 1964, has a Law Degree from the Catholic University of Santiago and graduated from the Diplomatic Academy Andrés Bello in 1991 as the best student in his class. In 1993 he studied at Georgetown University in the "Fellows in MSFS" program, specializing in International Relations.  In 1995 he obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Ottawa, Canada.

In the course of his 30 years long diplomatic career, he served at the Planning Directorate, at the Directorate of Multilateral Policy as Head of the United Nations Department and at the Department of Special Policy. Between 2011 and 2012, he served as Human Resources Director in the Foreign Ministry.  He became Director for Special Policy, in charge of disarmament and international security affairs from 2017 until 2018 where he was responsible for the negotiations within the UN and Inter-American systems on matters related to Defence, Disarmament, Transnational Organized Crime, Corruption, among others.  Between 2018-2019 he served as Director General of Ceremonial and Protocol. Between 2019 and May 2019 he served as Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations Office, other International Organizations, and the Conference of Disarmament in Geneva.  In his capacity as Ambassador and Permanent Representative, he served as President of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and as President of the Governmental Group at ILO.  In June 2019 he was appointed as Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Abroad he has been posted in Canada (1993-1995), Mexico (1995-1998), the Philippines (2000-2002), Ireland (2002-2004), Australia (2007-2011), and he was the Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of Chile to the Organization of American States (2012-2016). He was also part of numerous delegations to UN meetings in different areas.

In the academic field, he taught International Law and Integration at the Universidad del Desarrollo, Universidad Diego Portales and Universidad Finis Terrae in Santiago. He published more than 15 articles on international relations in specialized academic journals of several Universities in Chile and abroad. The last article on Universal System of Human Rights was published by the Center for International Studies of the Catholic University of Santiago, where he has been appointed as Associate Researcher.

In 2005 he was elected President of the Career Diplomats Association –ADICA- and until 2014 he was a member of the Editorial Committee of the Magazine “Diplomacy” of the Diplomatic Academy.

More info on the Embassy website.