Crunch Time: Countries Determined to Adopt Amendments to the IHR, Divided on the Way Ahead to Conclude Pandemic Agreement [WHA77]
Newsletter Edition #97 [Treaty Talks]
Hi,
Much like these negotiations at WHO, the weather in Geneva is decidedly unpredictable. Rainy one day, sunny the next, chilly on another.
There is no light coming into windowless rooms where the proceedings of the World Health Assembly unfold. Hundreds of delegates from all over the world are hard at work in resolving a host of issues, notably discussions on amending the International Health Regulations and the discussions on a new Pandemic Agreement.
Read our update today on how countries line up on these key issues that were discussed last evening. My amazing colleagues Nishant and Tessa, pulled out country statements for you overnight.
More to come as these discussions on the IHR come down to the wire.
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Best,
Priti
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I. ANALYSIS: WHA77
Crunch Time: Countries Determined to Adopt Amendments to the IHR, Divided on the Way Ahead to Conclude Pandemic Agreement [WHA77]
By Priti Patnaik with Nishant Sirohi & Tessa Jager
In a unified voice, WHO member states struck a determined note to continue making efforts to improve Pandemic Prevention Preparedness Response at the ongoing 77th World Health Assembly, even as the steady drumbeat of misinformation on a Pandemic Agreement rises to a feverish pitch.
Most countries are keen to build momentum by adopting the IHR this week if they are able to reach consensus on the amendments on several pending areas. Countries are keen on taking the time to conclude the negotiations for a new Pandemic Agreement. These indications emerged in numerous statements made by scores of countries during a discussion at the World Health Assembly yesterday on May 28th.
The United States, among others, made significant interventions on both these processes that would likely determine how these would unfold in the coming days. The U.S. was categorical in stating that it was not in favor of setting up a fund for the IHR, and on the Pandemic Agreement, indicated that it would prefer to resume negotiations on all articles.
Countries also decided to set up a single drafting group this week to discuss, and negotiate, in order to come to an agreement on the amendments to the IHR, and on defining a way forward to conclude the negotiations for the Pandemic Agreement. Starting May 29th, countries will meet in a drafting mode to hash out these issues in order to come to a decision in the next 48 hours, before the conclusion of the Assembly on June 1.
The Plan This Week: A Single Drafting Group
At the beginning of the session considering these items on the PPPR agenda, the Chair of Committee A of the Assembly, Apurva Chandra, a senior official from the Indian ministry of health, presented a white paper that states, “This white paper addresses possible handling of these agenda items in the interest of good order, inclusivity, transparency and predictability.
The Chair of Committee A proposes that Committee A establish a single drafting group, to be co-chaired by one Bureau member from, respectively, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) and the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR), to consider the matters related to agenda item 13.3 and the matters related to agenda item 13.4, including further work with respect to the proposed amendments to the IHR (2005). Further, the Chair proposes that the drafting group first consider matters under item 13.3 (WGIHR), to be followed by consideration of matters under 13.4 (INB)…. This arrangement would promote predictability, transparency and inclusivity. It would also assist to avoid parallel meetings….”
Countries supported this approach. At the proceedings, that lasted several hours, countries shared their views first, on the way ahead for the Pandemic Agreement, and then discussed their commitment to conclude the IHR negotiations this week.
In this story we analyse country positions and also share excerpts of their statements to show how they stack up across both these negotiating tracks.
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