WHO Pandemic Agreement
| Depositary | Secretary-General of the United Nations[1] |
|---|---|
| Languages |
The WHO Pandemic Agreement (WHOPA) is an international agreement.
History
[edit]On 9 July 2020 Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.[2] Beginning in September 2020, the Panel examined why COVID-19 became a global health and socio-economic crisis. The Panel published its findings in its report, COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic, in May 2021. Amongst several recommendations, the report called for a "Pandemic Treaty".[3]
On 29 August 2024, Republican governors of 26 US states issued a joint statement that they would not comply with the treaty.[4]
On 20 May 2025 at the World Health Assembly (WHA), 124 members of the WHO adopted WHOPA, while 11 countries, including Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Slovakia and Iran, abstained. The United States was in the process of withdrawing from the WHA and declined to participate in the vote, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., criticized the proceedings in a televised address to the Assembly. An annex on the sharing of pathogenic information still remained to be finalized before the Agreement entered into force.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Contents
[edit]The Agreement explicitly rules out the WHO holding "any authority to direct, order, alter or otherwise prescribe" any policy, or to "impose any requirements that parties take specific actions".[12]
The Agreement refers to the WHO as "directing and co-ordinating authority" in the event of a pandemic, as does the constitution of the WHO.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "WHO Pandemic Agreement: Procedural Matters" (PDF). World Health Organization. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ "Independent evaluation of global COVID-19 response announced" (Press release). Geneva: World Health Organization. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ Butchard & Balogun 2025, p. 10.
- ^ "Republican Governors Send Clear Message to World Health Organization: We Will Not Comply". Republican Governors Association (Press release). Washington, D.C. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- ^ Thomson (20 May 2025). "Global pandemic accord adopted by WHO amid U.S. absence". Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Reuters. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
- ^ "World Health Assembly adopts historic Pandemic Agreement to make the world more equitable and safer from future pandemics". Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Member States approve WHO Pandemic Agreement in World Health Assembly Committee, paving way for its formal adoption". Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Lambert, Jonathan (20 May 2025). "The world now has its first ever pandemic treaty. Will it make a difference?". National Public Radio. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "WHO members adopt landmark pandemic agreement in US absence". Doha, Qatar. Al Jazeera English. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ Lennon, Conor (20 May 2025). "Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics | UN News". UN News. Geneva, Switzerland. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
- ^ "Landmark global pandemic agreement adopted by World Health Organization members". Geneva, Switzerland. Reuters. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025 – via NBC News.
- ^ a b Diver, Tony. "Starmer signs treaty giving WHO power to recommend lockdowns". The Telegraph.
Bibliography
[edit]- This article incorporates text published under the United Kingdom Open Parliament Licence: Butchard, Patrick; Balogun, Bukky (20 May 2025). What is the proposed WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty? (Report). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 20 May 2025.