Countries clash over next steps for pandemic treaty talks

African states called on Tuesday to limit extended negotiations for a pandemic agreement to the end of 2024. Others, including the United States, Australia and Mexico said more time was needed, suggesting one to two additional years would be a more realistic timeline to address persisting divergences.

Health ministers have descended this week on Geneva for the World Health Assembly, where states were meant to adopt an agreement to prevent, prepare for and respond to future global health crises. But after weeks of tireless negotiations until late hours of the night, countries failed to clinch a deal by last Friday.

Echoing the African position, Indonesia called for negotiations to be concluded this year. “What we need is not more time but political will,” an Indonesian delegate told the plenary.

Wide divergences persist between developing and developed countries on several issues, including how to share information on pathogens and benefits that may derive from the shared data, such as vaccines. The issue of “one health”, referring to the links between human, animal and environmental health, is also contentious.

Some have blamed the deadlock on the way the negotiations have been conducted, with the bureau overseeing the talks coming under criticism behind the scenes for its forceful approach to rush negotiations. A draft resolution presented by Australia,

Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Norway and Pakistan suggest reviewing modalities moving forward, including creating an entire new negotiating group to take over.

Paraguay called on the WHO to “revise and improve working mechanisms” as the last weeks of negotiations “did not allow for inclusive and equitable process”.

But the African bloc stands behind the bureau. “Negotiations must continue under the same bureau to ensure continuity and ensure the text won’t be opened for renegotiation,” South Africa said on behalf of 47 African states.

A diplomatic source from the global south said the group was looking to keep representation on the process under bureau co-chair Precious Matsoso, noting that reviewing modalities would provide a much-needed breath of fresh air to the negotiations that had “worn delegates out”.

Proposing a compromise, Brazil suggested the bureau could invite experts and non-state actors to participate in meetings from now on to ensure “transparency”.

A large number of countries voiced support for the creation of a single drafting group tasked with finalising parallel negotiations to update the International Health Rules throughout the rest of the meeting and determine the next steps for the pandemic agreement talks following WHA.