Over three years needed WHO agrees on pandemic treaty
The WHO member states have agreed on a pandemic treaty. A draft to better prepare for future health crises was finalized in Geneva.
16.04.2025, 06:47
SDA
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- After more than three years of negotiations, the member states of the WHO have agreed on a historic draft treaty to better prepare for pandemics.
- This will be formally adopted in May.
- Key points include voluntary technology transfer, a new system for access to pathogens and benefit-sharing, as well as a commitment to provide some vaccines and technologies quickly and cheaply.
The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed on a historic draft treaty on pandemic preparedness. After more than three years of negotiations, the text was finalized in Geneva on Wednesday night. Formal adoption is planned for May.
"History is being written today in Geneva," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists. The draft treaty will now be submitted to the World Health Assembly for approval.
As a symbolic gesture, Tedros and his deputy Michael Ryan wore green ties - the color in which all articles of the treaty were confirmed. The champagne was also uncorked.
The agreement was "good, balanced", said Tedros. All members had brought in their own concerns. He spoke of a "fairer" approach and emphasized the importance of international consensus in the face of global tensions: "We need this."
A basic agreement was already in sight on Saturday. However, the final text still had to be reviewed and adjusted in the capitals. From Friday onwards, the negotiations dragged on for several days.
Approval from NGOs
The co-chair of the negotiations, Anne-Claire Amprou, said: "The countries of the world have shown their shared commitment to protect everyone, everywhere, from future pandemics." A source from the Swiss delegation spoke to the Keystone-SDA news agency of a "historic" moment - and great exhaustion.
The central point of contention was the wording on technology transfer to developing countries. According to this, vaccines and other countermeasures are to be made available worldwide voluntarily and on mutually agreed terms once the treaty enters into force.
Organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) welcomed the progress towards "solidarity" and the first joint mechanism in this area. Critics, however, accused rich countries of "hypocrisy". A mandatory technology transfer was not feasible. Some states wanted to prevent potential competitors from being strengthened, Tedros admitted.
The aim of the agreement is to better equip the international community to avoid discrimination in the event of a pandemic. During the coronavirus crisis, delayed vaccine deliveries led to many additional deaths in developing countries.
New system for benefit-sharing
Rich countries, including Switzerland, were able to enforce the protection of their intellectual property and their pharmaceutical companies. Nevertheless, the agreement provides for innovations: Among other things, a system for access to pathogens and benefit-sharing (PABS) is to be introduced. The specific modalities still have to be negotiated in an annex.
The innovations, which were confirmed by 193 of the 194 members after the USA withdrew from the talks in February, include the introduction of a system for access to pathogens and benefit-sharing (PABS). The modalities still have to be negotiated in an annex.
The plan is for 10 percent of each pandemic vaccine or relevant technology to be donated "rapidly" to the WHO in future. A further 10 percent is to be sold at affordable prices.
A global network under the leadership of the WHO is also intended to reduce supply chain problems. However, decisions on this system are the responsibility of the contracting parties. Developing countries have committed to investing more in pandemic preparedness - particularly in animal health.
Further agreements already reached last year
The treaty will enter into force one month after ratification by 60 member states - but only once the PABS annex has been negotiated. According to Tedros, this will take around a year.
This is not the first agreement since the start of the pandemic. A year ago, the WHO member states had already agreed on a reform of the International Health Regulations (IHR).
The WHO Director-General can now declare a "pandemic emergency" according to clear criteria. This would also activate the measures provided for in the current treaty.
