Global Leaders Finalize Historic Pandemic Preparedness Agreement Ahead of WHO Assembly
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday that its member states have reached a consensus on a landmark pandemic agreement following more than three years of intensive negotiations, Anadolu Agency reported. The draft agreement, finalized after 13 rounds of talks by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body established in December 2021, represents a major step forward in global health security.
The comprehensive framework includes measures to establish a pathogen access and benefit-sharing system, promote equitable technology transfer, strengthen health emergency workforces, and develop a global supply and logistics network. Notably, the agreement reaffirms national sovereignty, explicitly stating that the WHO will not dictate national public health policies or impose mandates.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the achievement as historic. “Today, nations have shown that multilateralism can deliver generational protections against health threats,” he said. Negotiation co-chair Precious Matsoso emphasized the agreement’s focus on equity, calling it “a shield for future generations against the devastation we witnessed during COVID-19.”
The proposal will be submitted for adoption at the 78th World Health Assembly, convening from May 19 to 28, under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution. If approved, it would mark the first binding international accord on pandemic response since the COVID-19 crisis.
Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou of Switzerland, a key negotiator, summarized the milestone as “a triumph of solidarity that redefines global health governance for the 21st century.”
