World Health Organization (WHO) member states abandoned careful diplomatic language at the start of the final round of negotiations for a pandemic agreement on Monday (18 March), exposing deep divisions between countries from the global North and South. An unprecedented 11 African countries spoke during the two-hour opening session, largely expressing support for the latest […] Continue reading ->
Two final – and likely sleepless – weeks of negotiation on the pandemic agreement begin on Monday, and negotiators have been urged to bring in their principals to ensure speed up decision-making. The negotiations may well be extended but, for now, this ninth meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) is […] Continue reading ->
Many practical questions about how the pandemic agreement will be implemented – including how to finance countries’ pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) – seem likely to be ceded to the Conference of Parties (COP). According to the latest pandemic agreement draft, a “Coordinating Financial Mechanism” will support the implementation of the pandemic agreement and […] Continue reading ->
The new draft of the pandemic agreement “is a step backwards rather than forwards”, according to Thomas Cueni, Director General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA).  “It is critical that any agreement takes steps to ensure equity in access to medicines and vaccines in future pandemics, whilst preserving the innovation ecosystem […] Continue reading ->
As pressure intensifies on World Health Organization (WHO) member states to finalise a pandemic agreement by May, insiders are concerned by the snails’ pace of negotiations – primarily because they believe the negotiators have spent an inordinate amount of time on contentious issues while neglecting more procedural issues. After two years of negotiations, the eighth […] Continue reading ->