Rupture in Africa Group Muddies Waters, But Developing Countries are Fighting Back for Equity Considerations in Pathogen Access & Benefit Sharing

Newsletter Edition #90 [Treaty Talks]

Hi,

At this point, WHO member states are about 48 hours away from the stated deadline to conclude the negotiations for a new Pandemic Agreement. And yet there are miles to go before they sleep.

Today, we bring you a quick update on the evolving state of play in the Pandemic Agreement negotiations at WHO, particularly with respect to the make-or-break discussions around the Pathogen Access Benefit Sharing System that could unlock eventual success for the overall process - or failure.

After we published reports this week, one on informal processes, and another on One Health, we received some gentle push back on these editions. I just want to re-emphasize that we take this responsibility with utmost sincerity and caution. We have no other agenda, other than to bring to fore information and perspectives that we observe.

We are acutely mindful of the sensitivities of diplomatic spaces and inchoate processes in fast-moving negotiations. We do exercise judgement and apply a dispassionate, forensic examination of views and facts presented to us. However, we are also deeply aware of the unbalanced field of play that international diplomacy is. And it is our endeavor to reflect what we see.

At this point, we are really doing everything we can to bring our readership significant developments from the floor of the negotiations, as different provisions progress in parallel shaped by politics and interests. But we seriously need more support (and shut-eye!)

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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. ANALYSIS: PANDEMIC AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS

Rupture in Africa Group Muddies Waters, But Developing Countries are Fighting Back for Equity Considerations in Pathogen Access & Benefit Sharing

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The negotiations on the Pandemic Agreement took a decisive turn this week, when at least two African countries became a part of a wider cross-regional group lending their support for a proposal that also reportedly has the backing of the EU and the U.S., in the context of the critical provision on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing, according to multiple sources.

Some of these countries are now being referred as the Group of Friends, who presented their proposal at a drafting group session this week, at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body meeting underway in Geneva.

Countries discussed a revised proposal from the INB Bureau that builds on the informal proposal brought by the new group and on earlier feedback from member states. The drafting group is considering Article 12 on PABS, where countries are negotiating text in a plenary format in late evening sessions. Sources told us that what is now on the table is only a couple of paragraphs that capture, principles, components and proposed modalities for such a mechanism.

In this story we discuss the prevailing political dynamics, and the substantives elements of the PABS discussion.

Image Credit: Photo by Alparslan Uzun, Pexels