After three years of intense negotiations in the aftermath of Covid-19, the World Health Assembly this week adopted a historic Pandemic Agreement. The agreement, only the second of its kind adopted by WHO’s governing body, sets out a comprehensive package of obligations for states to prevent, prepare for, and equitably respond to pandemics. Its adoption is not only a significant achievement for global health but is a signal that multilateralism, despite all odds, is alive and well. The negotiations were not without controversy. Distrust resulting from the inequitable sharing of resources during the pandemic meant that there were often gaps between rich and poor countries. And outside the negotiating room, a small but vocal group of objectors spread disinformation about the agreement’s contents, including falsely claiming it would usurp state sovereignty. What the agreement does contain, however, is a roadmap for fighting pandemics. Here are its core obligations.
The World Health Assembly adopts a historic Pandemic Agreement | Lowy Institute
