SWITZERLAND — Negotiations on a global accord focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response have progressed as countries belonging to the World Health Organization (WHO) work towards presenting a draft agreement at the World Health Assembly in May 2024.
During the five-day resumed session of the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), discussions on the draft pandemic accord took place, involving WHO’s 194 member countries.
The discussions centered around the text prepared by the INB Bureau and distributed to all Member States in May 2023, known as the “Bureau’s text.”
The initial stage involved an open plenary session where Member States and relevant stakeholders provided their general comments. This was followed by a closed session in the Drafting Group.
The Drafting Group specifically focused on Chapter II, which encompassed Articles 9 to 14. These articles addressed various aspects such as research and development, liability risk management, co-development and transfer of technology and know-how, access and benefit-sharing, supply chain and logistics, and regulatory strengthening.
It was decided to continue considering several of these articles through informal meetings of the Drafting Group.
As a pilot, two informal meetings on Article 9 (Research and development) of the Bureau’s text were held on the sidelines of the Drafting Group meeting.
The INB has agreed to a series of intersessional informal meetings for Drafting Group participants, focusing on Article 9 (Research and development), Article 12 (Access and benefit-sharing), and Article 13 (Supply chain and logistics).
These meetings will take place before the sixth meeting of the INB, scheduled for July 17-21, 2023. The Drafting Group will continue its work, addressing the remaining articles of Chapter II and subsequently moving on to Chapters III and I.
Furthermore, a joint plenary session of the INB and the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR) is planned for the afternoon of July 21 and the morning of July 24, 2023.
Mr. Roland Driece, Co-Chair of the INB Bureau, expressed gratitude for the collaborative spirit and consensus-building witnessed during the interactive informal meetings of the Drafting Group.
He highlighted that countries from all over the world had the opportunity to discuss their ideas, concerns, and suggestions in a comprehensive forum.
Ms. Precious Matsoso, INB Bureau Co-Chair from South Africa, emphasized the excellent spirit of collaboration among country representatives.
Acknowledging the challenges of reaching agreement when 194 countries are involved, she expressed confidence in the established working arrangements to facilitate the process of addressing the crucial issues related to pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Following the process agreed upon by governments during a special session of the World Health Assembly in late 2021, negotiations on the draft pandemic accord aim to produce a final draft for consideration in 2024.
The ongoing discussions signify a significant step forward in global efforts to enhance global health security and response mechanisms.
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