EXCLUSIVE - "The Provisions of The Pandemic Agreement Are Very Clear on The Direction That The Agreement Wants Countries To Go": Egyptian INB Vice-Chair [The Files Interview]

Newsletter Edition #131 [Treaty Talks]

Hi,

In-depth interviews are a great format to understand complex issues because they allow for clarity, candor and conversation. They are especially interesting if interviewees are open to speaking their mind.

In today’s edition we bring you a wide-ranging interview of Egyptian Ambassador, Amr Ramadan, a vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body that established WHO’s Pandemic Agreement.

He steered discussions on intellectual property matters in the new legal instrument that have been one of the most contentious. We hope you find this interview clarifying both on the technical aspects and the political dynamics. His recounting of the final hours that led to the conclusion of these negotiations was especially fascinating to learn.

This is the second of the two-part interview series on the Pandemic Agreement. (Read the first one with Brazilian vice-chair here.) We were keen on tapping into reflections of those closely associated with this process - on the record and for posterity.

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Until later!

Priti

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Illustration Credit: Amy Clarke, Chembe Collaborative

I. THE FILES INTERVIEW

“The Provisions of The Pandemic Agreement Are Very Clear on The Direction That The Agreement Wants Countries To Go” Egyptian INB Vice-Chair

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One of the most challenging aspects of the recently adopted Pandemic Agreement, has been on the language relating to intellectual property, specifically on technology transfer. Ambassador Amr Ramadan of Egypt, vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, spoke with Geneva Health Files in an exclusive, no holds barred interview, sharing his views on process, politics and the technical details of these complex negotiations. He chaired several formal and informal negotiations on sustainable production, technology transfer, the supply chain network, procurement and distribution issues, among others. We spoke with him in the lead up to the 78th World Health Assembly where the new Agreement was adopted.

We present a lightly edited transcript of this candid and revealing interview.