On May 20th, after years of negotiation, World Health Organization member states adopted the Pandemic Agreement — the first international treaty focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Developed in response to the shortcomings revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the agreement emphasizes equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments, and promotes international cooperation in disease surveillance and health system strengthening.

But will this brand-new agreement live up to its potential? And what role might the United States' decision to remain on the sidelines — and not become a party to the agreement — play in how it is adopted and implemented?

Joining me to discuss these questions and more is Alexandra Phelan, Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. We begin by examining how the deficiencies in the global response to COVID-19 revealed the need for such a treaty in the first place, before having a longer conversation about what the agreement actually obliges of its signatories — and what factors will determine whether or not it works as intended.

This episode is produced in partnership with Lex International Fund, a philanthropic fund dedicated to strengthening international law to solve global challenges. It is part of a series that demonstrates the impact of Treaties on state behavior that we are calling "when treaties work"

The Pope is not just a religious leader—he's also a Head of State. The Holy See maintains formal diplomatic relations with most countries on Earth and holds the status of a permanent observer at the United Nations. In recent years, the Pope has leveraged his dual role as the leader of the Catholic Church and a head of state to pursue a purposeful foreign policy vision and play a key diplomatic role. Indeed, Pope Francis was instrumental in brokering a major détente between the United States and Cuba during the Obama administration.

So, what is Pope Leo’s foreign policy vision? How does it differ from that of his predecessors? And how might the fact that he is an American and a native English speaker influence the kind of impact he can have on the world stage? Joining me to explore these questions and more is Tom Reese, a Jesuit priest and senior analyst for Religion News Service. In our conversation, Tom Reese unpacks the key takeaways from Pope Leo’s first foreign policy address to foreign diplomats at the Vatican and offers insights into the role the first American pope might play on the global stage as he assumes leadership of the Vatican.

My guest today, Zia Mian is co-director of Princeton University's Program on Science and Global Security. He's a physicist who has long studied nuclear weapons and nuclear security. In our conversation Zia Mian explains how scientists have impacted policy discussions about nuclear weapons since the dawn of the nuclear age, and how as the nuclear security landscape is evolving--and as science is advancing, scientists can continue to contribute to our understanding of the effects of a nuclear war.

In addition to his perch at Princeton, Zia Mian serves as Co-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Group of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is the first first international scientific body created by a United Nations treaty process for the purpose of advancing nuclear disarmament and in our conversation he explains how the work of scientists can contribute to a nuclear free world.

We kick off, however, discussing the recent conflict between India and Pakistan and what this conflict says about the role of nuclear weapons in international security today.

We recorded this conversation in conjunction with the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference. To view other episodes in this series please visit GlobalDispatches.org