E-DRUG: WHO's Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to prepare instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
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https://www.keionline.org/37302
Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa, and Thailand comprise the
bureau of WHO's Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and
negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on
pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
On 1 December 2021, the special session of the World Health Assembly
adopted a decision to launch intergovernmental negotiations to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; this signaled the intent of WHO member states to consider deep consequential reforms in the global pandemic response.
Operative 1(2) of decision SSA2(5) stated:
- Stressing that Member States should guide their efforts to develop such
an instrument by the principle of solidarity with all people and countries, that should frame practical actions to deal with both causes and
consequences of pandemics and other health emergencies.
1. DECIDES
(1)to establish, in accordance with Rule 41 of its Rules of Procedure,
an intergovernmental negotiating body open to all Member States and
Associate Members (the 'INB') to draft and negotiate a WHO convention,
agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention,
preparedness and response, with a view to adoption under Article 19, or
under other provisions of the WHO Constitution as may be deemed appropriate by the INB;
(2)that the first meeting of the INB shall be held no later than 1 March
2022, in order to elect two co-chairs, reflecting a balance of developed
and developing countries, and four vice-chairs, one from each of the six
WHO regions, and to define and agree on its working methods and timelines, consistent with this decision and based on the principles of inclusiveness, transparency, efficiency, Member State leadership and consensus;
(3)that as part of its working methods, the INB shall determine an
inclusive Member State led process, to be facilitated by the co-chairs and vice-chairs, to first identify the substantive elements of the instrument and to then begin the development of a working draft to be presented, on the basis of progress achieved, for the consideration of the INB at its second meeting, to be held no later than 1 August 2022, at the end of which the INB will identify the provision of the WHO Constitution under which the instrument should be adopted in line with paragraph 1(1);
Informed sources have disclosed to KEI that the the bureau of the
Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) will be comprised of
representatives from the governments of Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Netherlands,
South Africa, and Thailand. As yet, the identities of the two co-chairs are
not known. Decision SSA2(5) mandates that the first meeting of the INB
meeting to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other
international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
take place no later than 1 March 2022.
Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
Knowledge Ecology International
thiru@keionline.org