WHO Reaches 'Historic' Global Agreement to Tackle Future Pandemics

More than 190 countries have approved, under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), the first global treaty in history on pandemics. This agreement, concluded after three years of debate, aims to establish guidelines for global health crises and avoid the mistakes made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pact, which must be ratified at the next World Health Assembly starting on May 19, focuses on improving coordination among countries and promoting a more equitable distribution of resources in the face of a future pandemic through prevention, preparedness, and response mechanisms. However, the text has not fully satisfied low- and middle-income countries, as some agreements only bind wealthier states "voluntarily."

The discussion centred on technology transfer, meaning the provision by industries in developed countries of capabilities for developing countries to produce medicines. It was agreed that there should be "mutual agreements," but the transfer will not be mandatory.

Nonetheless, beyond the disagreements over drug production, the parties agreed on progress in the global fight against pandemics, such as strengthening early warning systems and identifying new zoonotic diseases (from animals to humans), improving biosecurity in laboratories, building geographically diverse research and development capacities, mobilising a skilled, trained, and multidisciplinary national and global workforce for health emergencies, establishing a financial coordination mechanism, taking concrete steps to strengthen health system preparedness, functions, and resilience, and establishing a global supply chain and logistics network.

However, the document states that the WHO will not have the authority "to direct, order, alter, or prescribe national laws or policies or to compel states to adopt specific measures, such as banning or accepting travellers, imposing vaccination mandates or therapeutic or diagnostic measures, or implementing lockdowns."

In a moment of weakness for the WHO due to attacks from the Trump Administration, the organisation's Director-General celebrated the treaty. "The nations of the world made history today in Geneva. By reaching consensus on the Pandemic Agreement, they have not only established a generational agreement for a safer world but also demonstrated that multilateralism is still alive and that, in our divided world, nations can still collaborate to find common ground and a common response to shared threats," stated Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

From Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also celebrated the agreement, calling it "a great step for global health." "In the face of global challenges that know no borders, multilateralism is our best asset," Sánchez stated on his X account.