The international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

Antimicrobial resistance is on the rise in Europe and elsewhere in the world. We are losing our first-line antimicrobials. Replacement treatments are more costly, more toxic, need much longer durations of treatment, and may require treatment in intensive care units.

...we hope to stop the transmission in six to nine months

What amazes me most is that the media and I have fostered a close relationship.

I have a reputation for being a straight-talker.

I think U.N. organizations are important organizations. They exist for good reasons. And we also admit that there is room for us to improve the way we do business. The WHO will be a very positive and proactive partner in the overall U.N. reform, which is also important.

Pandemic influenza is by nature an international issue; it requires an international solution.