New Zealand has rejected amendments to the International Health Regulations, the global framework governing how countries prepare for and respond to major disease outbreaks.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said “Today New Zealand has informed the Director General of the World Health Organisation via New Zealand’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva that in accordance with Article 61 of the International Health Regulations, New Zealand has officially rejected the proposed Amendments.”

The International Health Regulations are a legally binding agreement between 196 countries designed to strengthen how governments detect, report, and respond to disease outbreaks capable of spreading across borders.

After the COVID 19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in global coordination, countries negotiated amendments aimed at improving early warning systems, strengthening information sharing between governments, and improving cooperation during international health emergencies.

The amendments adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2024 introduced a clearer definition of a pandemic emergency and set expectations for countries to strengthen surveillance systems and preparedness planning.

Countries were given a defined period to either accept or reject the amendments once they were adopted internationally.

Peters said New Zealand had exercised its right to reject them.

“New Zealand First has always said that any decisions about the health of kiwis should be made from Wellington, not Geneva.”

Public health authorities and the World Health Organisation have said the regulations cannot override national sovereignty and do not allow the organisation to force governments to impose lockdowns, border closures, or vaccination requirements.

Peters said rejecting the amendments fulfilled a political commitment made by New Zealand First.

“We have fought on your behalf for these IHR amendments to be fully rejected, we made a promise to put the national interests of New Zealanders first, to maintain our sovereign decision making, and to push back on globalist bureaucrats and we have kept that promise.”

New Zealand remains part of the International Health Regulations framework, meaning the existing global health rules still apply. The newly adopted amendments will not apply domestically.