On Wednesday, World Health Organization members decided to create the first draft of a binding agreement to safeguard the planet from pandemics in the future, the WHO said in a press releases.
The WHO Constitution serves as the foundation for this “zero draft” of the pandemic pact, which will be considered by Member States in February 2023.
The agreement reached today by the 194 WHO Member States that make up the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) was a significant step forward in the global effort to learn from the COVID-19 epidemic and stop a repeat of the disastrous effects it had on people and communities around the world. Following a special session of the World Health Assembly, the INB met for its third meeting at the WHO headquarters in Geneva from December 5 to 7, 2018.
The Body decided today that the INB Bureau will create the initial version of the pandemic pact so that talks can begin at the fourth INB conference, which will begin on February 27, 2023. The conceptual zero draft and the comments held during this week’s INB meeting will serve as the foundation for this document. The Co-Chairs, Mr. Roland Driece of the Netherlands and Ms. Precious Matsoso of South Africa, are among the six delegates who make up the INB Bureau, one from each of the six WHO regions.
According to Mr. Driece, Co-Chair of the INB Bureau, nations have sent a loud and clear message that the world has to improve its preparation, coordination, and assistance in order to protect all people, everywhere, from a repeat of COVID-19.
He said that the decision to entrust them with the responsibility of creating a zero draft of a pandemic pact marks a significant turning point on the road to securing the globe.
Government officials highlighted that any future pandemic deal would need to take into consideration equity, boost preparedness, assure solidarity, promote a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach, and respect national sovereignty, according to Ms. Matsoso, a fellow INB Bureau Co-Chair.
