WHO’s Two Pandemic Negotiation Processes Prepare for Joint Meetings as Equity and IP Dominate Talks
The World Health Organization (WHO) is leading two parallel processes of negotiation to strengthen the global response to pandemics and public health emergencies. The first one is the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) on a pandemic prevention, preparedness and response accord, which aims to draft and adopt a new international instrument under the WHO Constitution by May 2024. The second one is the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on strengthening the International Health Regulations (IHR), which seeks to revise and update the existing legal framework for managing the spread of communicable diseases across borders.
These two processes are closely related and complementary, as they both address the gaps and challenges exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and seek to ensure greater equity and solidarity in the global health system. They also involve the participation of all WHO Member States, as well as other stakeholders such as civil society, academia, private sector and international organizations.
In April 2023, both processes will hold joint meetings to discuss the alignment and coherence of their respective outcomes and proposals. The main topics of discussion will include: equity and access to health products and technologies; intellectual property rights and innovation; financing and resource mobilization; governance and accountability; and multisectoral collaboration and coordination.
The joint meetings will provide an opportunity for constructive dialogue and exchange of views among different actors and perspectives, as well as for identifying areas of convergence and divergence. The outcomes of the joint meetings will inform the further work of the INB and OEWG, which will continue their negotiations until May 2024, when they will present their final drafts to the World Health Assembly for approval.