In a historic consensus at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, World Health Organization (WHO) Member States have unanimously approved a resolution to adopt the first-ever international Pandemic Agreement—an ambitious and far-reaching accord aimed at preventing a repeat of the devastating global failures witnessed during COVID-19.
The resolution, passed by Committee A of the Assembly on Monday, paves the way for formal adoption during a plenary session on Tuesday, May 20. Heads of State from around the world are expected to endorse the agreement, highlighting its global significance.
The culmination of more than three years of intense negotiations, the Pandemic Agreement was conceived in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to address global inequities in access to vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics, as well as the lack of coordinated international response. Launched in December 2021, the process was led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution.
“This is a remarkable achievement that reflects the collective commitment of governments to protect humanity,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The Pandemic Agreement will enable countries to collaborate faster, more fairly, and more efficiently when the next pandemic threat arises.”
Guided by Co-Chairs Ms. Precious Matsoso (South Africa) and Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou (France), and supported by Vice-Chairs from Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, and Australia, the agreement is grounded in core ethical principles—equity, solidarity, human dignity, and national sovereignty.
One of the key innovations is the creation of a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system. This framework will ensure timely access to pathogen samples and equitable distribution of life-saving tools developed from them. Under the proposal, pharmaceutical companies will allocate 20% of pandemic-related health product output to WHO, prioritizing vulnerable countries.
The agreement also calls for:
A Coordinating Financial Mechanism to support pandemic preparedness in low- and middle-income countries.
A Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network (GSCL) for rapid distribution of health products.
Integration and enhancement of the revised 2023 International Health Regulations (IHR), ensuring early warning and disease surveillance capabilities are strengthened globally.
“This is our duty to humanity,” said Dr. Esperance Luvindao, Chair of Committee A and Health Minister of Namibia. “We have resolved to join hands as one world to better protect our children, elders, frontline health workers, and all communities from the devastation of future pandemics.”
The next step involves finalizing the PABS annex, which will be drafted by a new Intergovernmental Working Group and adopted at a future WHO assembly. The agreement will enter into force once 60 countries ratify it through their national legislatures.
If fully implemented, the WHO Pandemic Agreement could transform global health governance, preventing future pandemics from reaching the scale and severity of COVID-19—and safeguarding future generations.