WHO's Urgent Call: Opportunities and Challenges in Pandemic Governance Talks

Yesterday, World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros opened the joint pandemic governance briefing (International Health Regulations & the Pandemic Treaty), noting, “This is our chance, maybe our only chance because we have the momentum.” He encouraged Member States to overcome “entrenched positions” and meet the World Health Assembly (WHA) May 2024 deadline.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized, "If the final products do not change the status quo, we will have missed our chance.”?He pointed out specific issues of pathogen sharing and mechanisms and timely access to diagnosis, medicines, and vaccines. He stressed that the agreement would not take away national sovereignty and would help countries with the tools and structures required for effective response. He encouraged Member States to be bold and creative and find a way forward, encouraged compromise, and to find a middle ground.

The Co-chairs of the Working Group on IHR amendments (WGIHR) then provided a process update, noting a good spirit of cooperation and collective intent, overall progress (with over 300 amendments considered), and interdependencies with the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) process.

The WGIHR Co-chairs noted that there are just two meetings left (then 18 months for amendments to come into force); negotiators need flexibility and mandate to do their jobs; conspiracy theories on WHO negotiations undermining national sovereignty are a barrier to progress; and that some issues – including definitions, purpose, scope, and principles will be left to the final stages.

The Co-chairs of the INB then took the floor, emphasizing that it's a Member-State-led process with only a few months left. Their interventions suggested many issues were still in the air and much work was left to do. They also asked Member States to address domestic misinformation and disinformation campaigns on process proactively.

The INB Co-chairs noted the main challenges include slipping urgency and lack of time. They also emphasized that the two instruments (IHR and the Pandemic Accord) can co-exist and be complementary with explicit linkages and appropriate topic distribution. And they pleaded for flexibility to achieve consensus and delivery by May 2024.

Only five Member States spoke. Most asked, “What if” the deadline was not met? France focused on prevention and One Health; Yemen noted cross-border issues and imported cholera outbreaks; the USA advised to seize the moment on the original timeline; Barbados requested timely sharing of information, equal access to technologies, and that small States have their voices heard in the process; and Morocco queried “what if the deadline is missed?”

The IHR Co-chairs assured Member States that (at least some) targeted amendments would be put forward at WHA 2024. They clarified that experts’ input happened, that the process is now on Member States (with the Secretariat providing experts where required), and that capacity building is part of the process. The INB Co-chairs emphasized the need for both IHR and the INB, that it is too soon to think about failure, and that they will communicate more on the timeline and concrete guidance for Member States on proposals ahead of #INB8. And Dr. Mike Ryan closed the session.

Key takeaways from the session? It seems there is lots of work left to do, particularly on the Pandemic Treaty. And concrete details on what is next are few and far between.?