Landmark agreement reached at WHO a booster shot for tackling future pandemics

GENEVA – Years of negotiations culminated in countries agreeing on the text of a landmark accord on how to tackle future pandemics, aimed at avoiding a repeat of the mistakes made during the Covid-19 crisis, in the wee hours of April 16.

After more than three years of talks and a final marathon session, weary delegates at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters could finally pop the champagne corks.

“The nations of the world made history in Geneva today,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

“In reaching consensus on the Pandemic Agreement, not only did they put in place a generational accord to make the world safer, they have also demonstrated that multilateralism is alive and well, and that in our divided world, nations can still work together to find common ground, and a shared response to shared threats.”

Five years after Covid-19 killed millions of people and devastated economies, a growing sense of urgency hung over the talks at a time when new threats, from H5N1 bird flu to measles and mpox to Ebola, were lurking.

The final stretch of negotiations took place with cuts to US foreign aid spending and threatened tariffs on pharmaceuticals casting a shadow.

Right until the last minute, disagreement lingered over a few thorny issues. Negotiators stumbled over Article 11, which deals with transferring technology for pandemic health products, sources told AFP.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, poorer countries accused rich nations of hoarding vaccines and tests.

Countries that have large pharmaceutical industries have strenuously opposed the idea of mandatory tech transfers, insisting they be voluntary.

It appeared the tech transfer obstacle could be overcome by adding that any transfer needed to be “mutually agreed”.

In the end, the 32-page agreement was entirely highlighted in green, indicating it had been fully approved by WHO member states.

“It’s adopted,” Ms Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the negotiations, announced to thundering applause.

The finalised text will be presented for sign-off at the WHO’s annual assembly in May.

As intense talks continued at the WHO headquarters, Dr Tedros joined the negotiations late on April 15 and told reporters he thought the current draft was “good”, “balanced” and that a deal would bring “more equity”.

While taking measures to coordinate pandemic prevention, preparedness and response could be costly, he insisted that “the cost of inaction is much bigger”.

“Virus is the worst enemy. (It) could be worse than a war,” he said.

The US, which has thrown the global health system into crisis by slashing foreign aid spending, was not present. President Donald Trump ordered a withdrawal from the United Nations’ health agency and the pandemic agreement talks after taking office in January.

However, the US absence, and his threat to slap steep tariffs on pharmaceutical products, still hung over the talks, making manufacturers and governments more jittery.

But in the end, the countries reached a consensus.

“The world is watching us, and you can be very proud of what you have just achieved,” Ms Amprou said. AFP