Pandemic Agreement Negotiations: Countries Rearing To Go, But Concerns on Process Continue [INB9 PRIMER]

Newsletter Edition #73 [Treaty Talks]

Hi,

The moment has arrived.

Starting today, March 18th, WHO member states are expected to begin text-based negotiations towards a new Pandemic Agreement.

In less than 10 days, they hope to be able to conclude the negotiations for a new instrument to govern pandemics.

In this story, we bring you a quick primer on what’s on agenda and the concerns flagged by countries. We also examine the merits of involving political leaders at this stage in the process.

We will be following up with updates during this two week process when marathon negotiations are under way.

This is a great time to support us as we burn the midnight oil to bring you analyses as quickly as possible capturing the details, the nuance and the politics.

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Thank you for reading.

Until later.

Best,

Priti

Feel free to write to us: patnaik.reporting@gmail.com. Follow us on X: @filesgeneva

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Illustration Credit: Amy Clarke, Chembe Collaborative

I. PRIMER: INB9

Pandemic Agreement Negotiations: Countries Rearing To Go, But Concerns on Process Continue

Without political will, high-level political engagement may not help

Countries are eager to begin text-based negotiations when the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body meets for its ninth formal meeting in Geneva today.

In a restricted briefing organized by the INB Bureau recently, for member states and for non-state actors, countries reaffirmed their commitment to the fast-approaching deadline of May 2024 to conclude the negotiations, even as major developed countries highlighted concerns on process, sources familiar with the discussions said.

The revised draft of the negotiating text released by the INB Bureau, has largely been welcomed by developing countries, but a number of developed countries, reportedly drew attention to the lack of adequate “legal language” in the current version.

In general, diplomats from developed countries are anxious about completing the negotiations in record time in the plenary meeting of the INB, a suggested modality of the INB bureau for the conduct of these negotiations, sources said.

During the briefing, Co-Chairs Precious Matsoso and Roland Driece discussed the agenda and the proposed modalities of the upcoming meeting.

In this story, we look at agenda for the meeting, and the present preliminary comments from some of the negotiators on the process. This is based on numerous interviews with diplomats over the last few days. We also analyse whether high-level political engagement in these negotiations at this time will be helpful.

(Read our earlier story that comprehensively analyses the new negotiating text: New Negotiating Text of the Pandemic Agreement: Watered Down Language, But Ticks Boxes on Key Provisions)

Image Credit: Photo by Huu Huynh, Pexels