WHO World Health Assembly: more time for negotiations on Pandemic Agreement
Bern, 02.06.2024 - The WHO member states convened in Geneva this week for the annual World Health Assembly (WHA), which closed yesterday (Saturday 1 June). The WHA amended the International Health Regulations and agreed on the way forward to conclude a proposed Pandemic Agreement.
As a full member of WHO, Switzerland championed a broad range of topics at this year’s World Health Assembly. It was actively involved in the discussions on antibiotic resistance and on the impact of climate change on health, and works on an ongoing basis to promote efficiency within WHO. In addition, the World Health Assembly adopted the Global Health and Peace Initiative, which Switzerland co-launched. The initiative will benefit healthcare in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings.
The negotiations on the package of amendments to the International Health Regulations IHR (2005) were also concluded this week in a working group involving all member states. The amended text was adopted by the World Health Assembly in a consensus decision. The adoption of the amendments to the International Health Regulations IHR (2005) by the WHA is not yet binding on Switzerland, which will now decide, based on the applicable national procedures and in accordance with constitutional and legal frameworks, whether it wants to approve or reject the amended IHR. Switzerland will take a sovereign decision on this matter.
With regard to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, it was not possible to reach an agreement ahead of the Assembly in Geneva, so there was no text to present to the World Health Assembly for approval. The World Health Assembly decided that negations on a Pandemic Agreement will be extended by a maximum of one year. The outcome of the negotiations is to be presented to the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025 at the latest.
Switzerland welcomes this decision because it is important that international early warning and notification systems function effectively and that all countries – particularly low-income ones – have the necessary capacity to detect and control communicable diseases.
Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider led the Swiss delegation at this WHA for the first time. On the sidelines of the Assembly, various bilateral meetings were held with health ministers from other countries. Switzerland also instigated an in-depth dialogue on digital health with ministerial delegations from Qatar, Estonia and Portugal.
The World Health Assembly is the highest decision-making body of WHO. Every year in May, delegates from the 194 WHO member states meet in Geneva to decide the thematic, financial and organisational direction of WHO and to review and determine its future programmes.
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