Discussions on the draft pandemic accord took place during the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), which includes all 194 WHO countries

Countries belonging to the World Health Organization (WHO) have begun negotiations on a global accord for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The negotiations are based on a “zero draft” and aim to protect nations and communities from future pandemic emergencies.

Discussions on the draft pandemic accord took place during the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), which includes all 194 WHO countries. The negotiations are set to continue over the next year, with the final draft expected to be considered at the 77th World Health Assembly in 2024.

The WHO’s pandemic accord seeks to establish a framework for preparedness and response to future pandemics that is coordinated, comprehensive, and equitable. This would ensure that countries are better prepared to prevent future pandemic threats and respond to them effectively and equitably.

“The start of discussions of concrete language for the WHO pandemic accord sends a clear signal that countries of the world want to work together for a safer, healthier future,” Co-Chair of the INB Bureau, Mr. Roland Driece from the Netherlands, stated.

This was echoed by his fellow Co-Chair, Precious Matsoso of South Africa, who emphasized that the negotiations were a critical step in ensuring that the mistakes made during the COVID-19 pandemic response were not repeated.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for global cooperation and coordination in responding to public health emergencies. With negotiations underway for a global accord for pandemic prevention and response, the world is moving toward a more coordinated and effective response to future pandemics.

The proposed IHR amendments will also be presented to the World Health Assembly in 2024, and would, together with the pandemic accord, provide a comprehensive and complementary set of global health agreements.

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