Government-led negotiations on the first global agreement to protect people from future pandemics made significant progress in the latest round of talks that concluded today at the World Health Organization (WHO).
Substantial progress on the draft agreement, increased engagement of civil society and non-State actors, and a commitment by all parties to maintain momentum for a pandemic agreement were hallmarks of the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), comprising WHO’s 194 member governments, held from 9 to 20 September in Geneva. Negotiators will resume discussions at a 12th session, from 4 to 15 November.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, welcomed the “collective commitment” shown by governments and other stakeholders to reach the pandemic agreement, and the urgent need to do so in light of the continuing threat posed by viruses with pandemic potential.
The next pandemic will not wait for us, whether it is caused by an influenza virus like H5N1, another coronavirus, or another family of viruses that we do not yet know about. But all the ingredients are there for countries to negotiate a generational agreement on the pandemic. The world needs hope, because it is still possible for countries to find common solutions to common problems. You can give them that hope.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO
Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou, Co-Chair of the INB Office for France, said the latest round of negotiations demonstrated governments’ commitment to a pandemic agreement that would make the world safer and healthier. It also showed the critical role played by civil society and other non-governmental actors in ensuring that equity, innovation and collaboration are at the heart of the agreement.
“Through extensive discussions, WHO Member States have demonstrated their commitment to an agreement on the pandemic,” said Ambassador Amprou. “All countries have clearly recognized that we must agree on a path forward to better work together to protect their citizens from future pandemics.”
Ambassador Amprou added: “The constructive contributions of stakeholders involved in the INB have been extremely valuable. Together, we must continue this progress in the coming months to achieve our shared goal of forging a pandemic agreement that guides future global responses to pandemics.”
Every day over the past two weeks of discussions, relevant INB stakeholders joined negotiators to take stock of progress and next steps, the latest version of the draft agreement reflecting the latest government proposals, and to make suggestions. Detailed interactive dialogues took place over the previous week on critical topics and were publicly disseminated.
“There is growing urgency to reach an effective pandemic agreement that not only prepares us for the next pandemic, but also helps prevent it, including through a One Health approach,” said Nina Jamal, Pandemics Lead at global animal protection organization FOUR PAWS. “We thank the Bureau for its transparency with relevant stakeholders, increased openness, and constructive proposals from Member States, which have helped to ensure the success of the negotiations. We look forward to further progress on the content of the pandemic agreement and enhanced dialogue among Member States to achieve a meaningful and effective outcome.”
Michelle Childs, Policy Advocacy Director for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), added: “DNDi welcomes the sharing of draft texts and daily briefings. These activities help improve the ability of stakeholders to monitor, contribute to, and counter misinformation about what is actually being discussed. We encourage further steps to improve transparency, including making stakeholder interventions publicly available.”
Ms Precious Matsoso, Co-Chair of the INB of South Africa, said progress had been made in core areas of the draft agreement, including research and development, strengthening regulatory systems, One Health, pandemic prevention and technology, supply chain networks and a new system for increased access to and benefit sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential, such as vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
“After nearly three years of negotiations, countries are now focusing on the remaining and most critical elements of the draft agreement to protect the world from future pandemics,” Matsoso said.
Ms. Matsoso added: “At the heart of the negotiations is the recognition that collaboration between countries will ensure that the world is not left vulnerable to future pandemics, while each country retains its sovereignty and control over national health decisions.”
In December 2021, a special session of the World Health Assembly established the INB to draft and negotiate a convention, agreement or other international instrument within the framework of the Constitution of the World Health Organization, to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. At the World Health Assembly in June 2024, governments made concrete commitments to complete negotiations on a global pandemic agreement within one year at the latest, and possibly in 2024.
