International – WHO member states commit to producing a pandemic accord in 2023

In a summit held by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 7 December, WHO member states were united in an agreement to develop and produce the first draft of a pledge created to protect the world from future pandemics.

The legally binding ‘zero draft’ of the pandemic accord is entrenched in the WHO Constitution and the member states plan to reconvene for discussion in February 2023.

The agreement by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), involving WHO’s 194 member states, marked a significant moment in the global process in learning from the COVID-19 pandemic. It also served as an important milestone in recognising how the global community can prevent a repeat of the lasting impacts COVID-19 has had on people worldwide…