The World's First Pandemic Agreement
During the 78th World Health Assembly, following three years of negotiations, the Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement. Discover more about this historic milestone and its key highlights.
At a special session of the World Health Assembly held in December 2021, WHO Member States agreed to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) tasked with drafting and negotiating a new convention, agreement, or other international instrument on health to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Meanwhile, WHO Member States agreed, through Executive Board Decision 150(3) (2022) and World Health Assembly Decision WHA75(9) (2022), to initiate a process to amend the current International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR).
During the 77th World Health Assembly, a set of key amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) was agreed upon. During the 78th World Health Assembly, and after three years of negotiations, WHO Member States formally adopted by consensus the first Global Pandemic Agreement, an unprecedented opportunity to improve global health security and protect future generations.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) accompanied Member States throughout the process, facilitating regional meetings and briefings to ensure that national authorities were informed about the key components of the INB and the WGIHR.
PAHO will continue to work closely with its Member States in the discussions of the Intergovernmental Working Group to draft and negotiate the annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
Background documents
+Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB)
Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly
Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly, Agenda item 13.4. A77/A/CONF./15. 1 June 2024.
Outcome of the IINB transmitted to WHA 77
Fact Sheets
Fact Sheet Article 7: Health and care workforce
Fact Sheet Article 9: Research and development (Available in Spanish)
Related to the IHR
Legal
Information document on the legal architecture of the proposal for the WHO Pandemic Agreement
Proposals, Drafts and Meeting Reports
Proposal for negotiating text of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. 30 October 2023 French version
Bureau's Documents
Briefing on the Bureau’s text 5 June 2023
INB Bureau Draft Meeting Report INB5 16 June 2023
INB Bureau Proposal Informal Meetings Drafting Group
INB WHO Strengthening HEPR WGIHR Financing Update. 23 June 2023
Meeting Reports
Ethical Research and Biological Diversity
Catalyzing Ethical Research in Emergencies. Ethics Guidance, Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Pending Agenda. View Summary
Catalyzing Ethical Research in Emergencies: Recommendations for health authorities
Related documents and articles:
Lancet Opinion Article- Addressing inequity: the world needs an ambitious Pandemic Accord
+Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR)
Bureau Provisional WGIHR timeline 2022–2024
WGIHR Bureau’s proposal for potential groupings of proposed amendments
Bureau On Screen Compilation Amendments. As of 19 April 2023
Proposed amendments and review committee technical recommendations
International Health Regulations (2005). Third Edition View in French
Briefing Session: Pandemic Accord
30 September 2024
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm (Washington DC)
1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director
Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, MP, Minister of Health and Wellness Jamaica
2. Progress, Status, and Next Steps in Pandemic Accord Negotiations
Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes, Vice-Chair INB
3. Key Pandemic Accord Articles: Regional and Global Implications
- Article 12: Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System
Mr. Colin McIff United States of America
Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes, Vice-Chair INB - Article 4: Pandemic Prevention and Surveillance
Dr. Alejandra Pizarro Ibañez, Chile
Ms. Zoe Kahn, Canada - Article 5: One Health approach for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
Ms. Zoe Kahn, Canada
Dr. Alejandra Pizarro Ibañez, Chile - Complementarity and coherence between the Amended International Health Regulations (2005)
Dr. Roberta Andraghetti, WHO
4. Reflections on meaningful participation of Member States in the Americas
Dr. Ciro Ugarte, PAHO
5. Closing Remarks
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director
Download List of Participants
4th Regional Meeting
15 -16 February 2024
THURSDAY, 15 FEBRUARY
9:00 - 18:00
Opening: GRUA – INB Vice-Chair - PAHO.
Brief review of the seventh WGIHR meeting (5-9 February 2024).
Update and Overview of the INB Process.
Update on the WGIHR process and common issues between the WGIHR and INB.
Review of Article 4. Pandemic prevention and public health surveillance; Article 5. One Health; and Article 6. Preparedness, readiness, and resilience.
Review of Article 10. Sustainable production; Article 11. Transfer of technology and know-how; and Article 13. Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network.
Review of Article 12. Access and benefit sharing.
Update on possible regional statements from the Americas.
Summary of progress and next day agenda – GRUA and PAHO.
FRIDAY, 16 FEBRUARY
9:00 - 18:00
- Review of Article 19. Implementation capacities and support; and Article 20. Financing.
- Review of Chapter III Institutional arrangements and final provisions.
- Review 13:00 || MORNING PLENARY (Continued).
- Draft Text on Article 9. Research and development; Article 14. Regulatory strengthening; and Article 15. Compensation and liability management.
- Update on possible regional statements from the Americas.
- Review of other articles of the Negotiating Text (CA+).
- Preparation for the Eighth and Ninth INB Meetings.
3rd Regional Meeting
30 October - November 1st, 2023
MONDAY, 30 OCTOBER
9:00 -12:30
• Welcome Remarks
• Agenda and logistic information
• Updates on Member States Workstreams on Health Emergencies
• Update on the INB Process and next steps
• Group picture
• General view of the last version of the proposed text of the WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
14:00 -17:00
• Review and discussion regarding INB priority articles
17:00 -18:00
• Working group discussion on relevant subregional priorities
TUESDAY, 31 OCTOBER
9:00 -12:30
• Review and discussion regarding INB priority articles
• Presentation and discussion of other topics of the INB
• Summary and key considerations and next steps on the INB
14:00 -17:00
• Update on the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005)
• Review and discussion of proposed amendments to selected articles of the IHR
17:00 -18:00
• Working group discussion on regional subregional priorities.
WEDNESDAY, 1 NOVEMBER
9:00 -12:30
• Review and discussion of proposed amendments to selected articles of the IHR
• Key consideration and next steps on the WGIHR
14:00 -15:30
• Working group discussion on relevant subregional priorities
15:30 -17:30
• Discussion of common issues and topics of the INB and WGIHR
• Improving participation of Member States of the Americas in the INB
• Closure
2nd Regional Meeting
10 -12 July 2023
MONDAY
9:00 - 12:30
Welcome Remarks.
• Agenda and logistic information
• Update on Member States Workstreams on Health Emergencies
• Group picture and coffee break
• Update on the INB process and next steps
• General view of the last version of the proposed text of the WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response
14:00 – 17:00
• Review and discussion regarding INB priority articles:
• Article 9. Research and development
• Article 11. Co-development and transfer of technology and know-how
• Article 12. Access and benefit-sharing
• Article 13. Supply chain and logistics
17:00 – 18:00
• Working group discussion on relevant subregional priorities
TUESDAY
9:00 - 12:30
- Review and discussion regarding INB priority articles:
• Article 15. International collaboration and cooperation
• Article 19. Financing - Presentation and discussion of other topics of the INB
- Summary and key considerations and next steps on the INB
14:00 – 17:00
- Update on the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005)
- Review and discussion of proposed amendments to selected articles of the IHR:
• Article 4: Responsible authorities
• Article 6-11 and Annex 2: Notification, verification, and provision of information
• Article 48-49: The Emergency Committee
17:00 – 18:00
- Working group discussion on relevant subregional priorities
WEDNESDAY
9:00 - 12:30
- Review and discussion of proposed amendments to selected articles of the IHR:
• Articles 12: Determination of a public health emergency of international concern
• Articles 15, 16, 17, 18 Temporary and Standing recommendations - Key considerations and next steps on the WGIHR
14:00 – 15:30
- Working group discussion on relevant subregional priorities
15:30 – 17:30
• Discussion of common issues and topics of the INB and WGIHR
• Improving participation of Member States of the Americas in the INB and WGIHR
• Closure
1st Regional Meeting
14 March 2023
9:00 - 12:30
- Review and discussion regarding INB priority articles:
• Article 15. International collaboration and cooperation
• Article 19. Financing - Presentation and discussion of other topics of the INB
- Summary and key considerations and next steps on the INB
14:00 – 17:00
- Update on the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005)
- Review and discussion of proposed amendments to selected articles of the IHR:
• Article 4: Responsible authorities
• Article 6-11 and Annex 2: Notification, verification, and provision of information
• Article 48-49: The Emergency Committee
17:00 – 18:00
- Working group discussion on relevant subregional priorities
Colin Mciff, Deputy Assistant Secretary Office of Global Affairs USA
Ambassador Tovar Da Silva Nunes, Permanent Mission of Brazil in Geneva
Rodrigo López, Delegado para Asuntos de Salud, Misión Permanente de México ante la ONU Ginebra
Dr Simone Keizer Beach, Chief Medical Officer, St Vincent and the Grenadines
World Health Assembly agreement reached on wide-ranging, decisive package of amendments to improve the International Health Regulations, and sets date for finalizing negotiations on a proposed Pandemic Agreement
Washington, DC, 1 June 2024
Countries of the Americas meet again to advance on the future pandemic agreement
Geneva, Switzerland. 14 February 2024
