GENEVA (AN) — A negotiating panel for the U.N. health agency said its latest round of talks "moved forward" efforts to draft a pandemic treaty.
The World Health Organization said on Saturday negotiators covered R&D, technology transfers, access and benefits, supply chains and regulations.
The 194-nation WHO's Intergovernmental Negotiating Body met this past week for a fifth round of talks on a legally binding global agreement.
The working text would give WHO a lever to reduce rich-poor inequalities by letting it allocate a fifth of all global vaccines and other pandemic necessities. It would give away 10% for free, and provide the other 10% at "affordable prices."
The road to consensus
The panel aims finish a text for the World Health Assembly to approve in May 2024. Its sixth round of talks will be held next month, but negotiators plan to meet before then for informal meetings on R&D, access and benefits, and supply chains.
“Countries from all parts of the world were able to discuss their ideas, concerns and suggestions for consensus," said panel co-chair Roland Driece, a Dutch health ministry official.
Panel co-chair Precious Matsoso, a former director-general of South Africa's health department, expressed optimism for reaching agreement.
"When there are 194 countries sharing their views, it will, of course, take time and much discussion to come to agreement," she said. "I am confident that we now have the working arrangements in place to do so.”
