GENEVA
\nYears of negotiations culminated early Wednesday with countries agreeing the text of a landmark accord on how to tackle future pandemics, aimed at avoiding the mistakes made during the Covid-19 crisis.
\nAfter more than three years of talks and one last marathon session, weary delegates at the World Health Organisation\u2019s headquarters finally sealed the deal at around 2am.
\n\u201cTonight marks a significant milestone in our shared journey towards a safer world,\u201d said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
\nFive years after the emergence of Covid-19, which killed millions of people, devastated economies and upturned health systems, a sense of urgency hung over the talks, with new threats lurking \u2014 including H5N1 bird flu, measles, mpox and Ebola. The final stretch of the talks also took place under the shadow of cuts to US foreign aid spending and threatened tariffs on pharmaceuticals.
\n\u2018It\u2019s adopted\u2019
\nRight until the last minute, disagreement lingered over a few thorny issues. Negotiators stumbled over the agreement\u2019s Article 11, which deals with transferring technology for pandemic health products towards developing nations.
\nDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, poorer states accused rich nations of hoarding vaccines and tests. Countries with large pharmaceutical industries have strenuously opposed the idea of mandatory tech transfers, insisting they must be voluntary.
\nBut it appeared the obstacle could be overcome by adding that any transfer needed to be \u201cmutually agreed\u201d.
\nThe core of the agreement is a proposed Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS), aimed at allowing the swift sharing of pathogen data with pharmaceutical companies, enabling them to quickly start working on pandemic-fighting products.
\nIn the end, the 32-page agreement was entirely highlighted in green, indicating all of it had been fully approved by WHO member states. \u201cIt\u2019s adopted,\u201d negotiations co-chair Anne-Claire Amprou announced, to thunderous applause. \u201cIn drafting this historic agreement, the countries of the world have demonstrated their shared commitment to preventing and protecting everyone, everywhere, from future pandemic threats.\u201d The finalised text will now be presented for sign-off at the WHO\u2019s annual assembly next month.<\/p>\n
\u2018Excellent news\u2019
\nCongratulations quickly poured in. \u201cExcellent news from Geneva,\u201d European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said on X.
\n\u201cWe have learnt the lessons of Covid. To beat a pandemic, you need tests, treatments and vaccines. And you equally need solidarity and global cooperation.\u201d The EU had led the charge arguing for flexibility and voluntary measures in the text.
\nThe International Federation of Pharm\u00adaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), which participated in the talks, had also taken that stance. Looking ahead towards implementation, the leading pharma lobby
\nsaid intellectual property and legal certainty would be essential for encouraging investment in high-risk research and development in the next crisis. \u201cThe pandemic agreement is a starting point,\u201d insisted IFPMA chief David Reddy. Developing countries and NGOs also hailed the agreement, while ack\u00adnow\u00adledging that not all of their ambitions were met.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GENEVA Years of negotiations culminated early Wednesday with countries agreeing the text of a landmark accord on how to tackle future pandemics, aimed at avoiding the mistakes made during the Covid-19 crisis. After more than three years of talks and one last marathon session, weary delegates at the World Health Organisation\u2019s headquarters finally sealed the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125282,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-473201","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n