Dear Friends,
This is a note to say thank you for your work, partnership, and dedication in 2024.
Conflict, human rights abuses, climate disasters, food systems vulnerability, ongoing health threats, and struggling economies make this a difficult environment to operate in, psychologically and organisationally. But there are three learnings I’ll be taking into 2025 with me, buoyed by the partnership across sectors that makes us stronger.
Networked advocacy makes us stronger. Working together, lifting up partners, and sharing our smarts increases impact, whether fighting to advance an equitable pandemic agreement or working to unlock financing for the world’s most vulnerable. 2024 was the year we put the model we developed during the COVID-19 crisis to work: Resilience Action Network Africa (RANA) partners called for increasing global development and climate finance in the EU, and a new networked advocacy collective on biosecurity is working to make sure the advent of AI and biotechnology advances don’t lead to a rise in biosecurity threats.
Persistence pays. For nearly two years, we have pushed for debt pause clauses to include pandemics as well as climate disasters. Now, the World Bank’s Climate Resilient Debt Clause (CRDC) now covers all natural disasters from droughts and floods to health emergencies like pandemics.
The world needs resilience. RANA, led by Aggrey Aluso, works alongside partners to drive advocacy impact on climate, gender, development finance, food systems, health systems, R&D, and nature. Our work on health and pandemics serves as a playbook for areas in which we hope to collaborate with others. On mpox, our early joint statement set the tone of our advocacy, helping shape a call to action to G20 leaders. Our weekly mpox tracker and priorities 100 days into the public health emergency continue to help push the policies we need.
Resilience is the theme I will take into 2025. Resilience for communities and the relationships between them. Resilience for people and planet. And personal resilience, as we all seek to achieve the right balance in our lives.
On that note, it is the relationships built over the course of another year’s work together that buoy our resilience — the ultimate strength — and it’s the connections that bring much-needed joy.
Wishing peace for all this end of year along with deeper connections and understanding across borders and issues into 2025, as we all seek to play our part in creating a more resilient world.
Thank you for all you do, rest well, and look forward to working with you in 2025.
In solidarity and with deep gratitude,
Eloise Todd
Executive Director and Co-Founder
Pandemic Action Network
