Landmark agreement focuses on vaccine equity, international coordination, and crisis readiness amid funding challenges and global health threats.
In a defining moment for global health diplomacy, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday endorsed a groundbreaking Pandemic Agreement aimed at enhancing international preparedness, cooperation, and equity in the face of future pandemics.
The approval came during the second day of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, marking the culmination of over three years of intense negotiations initiated in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This landmark treaty seeks to prevent a repeat of the devastating consequences that gripped the world from 2020, by ensuring timely access to vaccines, better coordination, and stronger global monitoring systems.
“The world is safer today thanks to the leadership, collaboration and commitment of our Member States to adopt the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, during his official address. “The Agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats.”
He added: “It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during COVID-19.”
Key Features of the Pandemic Agreement
The new agreement introduces several transformative provisions intended to strengthen global health security and ensure that the world is better equipped for any future outbreaks. One of the most critical features is the guarantee of equitable access to medical countermeasures.
Under the agreement:
- Countries that share virus samples with the WHO will be guaranteed access to any resulting diagnostic tools, medicines, or vaccines.
- The WHO will receive up to 20% of these products, which will be allocated to low- and middle-income countries, helping to prevent the vaccine nationalism and supply hoarding that plagued the global COVID-19 response.
- Member states are encouraged to invest in early warning systems, bolster public health institutions, and ensure transparent data sharing during health emergencies.
This measure is widely seen as a step toward correcting vaccine inequality, which left many African and developing nations without timely access to COVID-19 vaccines while wealthier countries stockpiled doses.
A Milestone Amid Financial Struggles
The approval of the Pandemic Agreement comes as the WHO faces serious funding shortfalls, particularly following cuts in financial support from the United States, one of the agency’s largest contributors.
Addressing member states earlier during the Assembly, Dr. Ghebreyesus did not shy away from highlighting the challenges.
“Our current situation is difficult. It should not be a surprise to any of us,” he stated, alluding to reductions in voluntary donations and shifting priorities among traditional Western donors who are now investing more in defense and security than in humanitarian causes.
These financial limitations have hampered the WHO’s ability to carry out its mandate effectively, prompting urgent reforms in how the agency is funded.
Reinforcing WHO’s Financial Independence
In response to these fiscal challenges, the Assembly has proposed two major financial reforms, which are expected to receive broad backing over the course of the nine-day meeting:
- Raising assessed contributions — the fixed annual membership fees paid by countries — by 20%, to provide the WHO with more reliable core funding.
- Reducing dependency on voluntary donations, which currently make up more than 50% of the organization’s budget and are often influenced by political and economic shifts.
Experts say this shift will enable the WHO to become more autonomous and better prepared to respond swiftly to health emergencies without having to wait for donor approval or political will.
A Victory for Multilateralism and Public Health
The adoption of the Pandemic Agreement is being celebrated globally as a triumph for multilateral collaboration and a symbol of renewed global commitment to health equity.
Public health analysts view it as a timely intervention at a moment when global trust in institutions is fragile, and when many countries are still reeling from the socio-economic aftershocks of COVID-19. The treaty’s emphasis on data transparency, vaccine sharing, and equitable healthcare access reflects hard-earned lessons from the pandemic years.
While the agreement is not legally binding, its adoption signals a collective moral commitment by member states to act in unity when the next major health crisis strikes.
“This agreement puts mechanisms in place to make sure we don’t fail again,” said a WHO delegate from Africa. “We may not stop pandemics from emerging, but we can certainly stop them from causing the kind of destruction we saw between 2020 and 2022.”
What Comes Next?
Although the treaty has been adopted, implementation now lies with national governments, who will be tasked with adjusting their public health frameworks to align with the provisions of the agreement. Countries will also need to invest in strengthening local health systems, training health workers, and upgrading disease surveillance mechanisms.
The WHO will, in the coming months, issue guidelines and benchmarks to help countries align with the new treaty. Technical assistance, particularly for lower-income nations, will be provided to ensure equitable compliance and capacity building.
Conclusion
As the world continues to face emerging health threats — from climate-sensitive diseases to new viral outbreaks — the WHO’s Pandemic Agreement represents a bold and urgent step toward a safer, more coordinated, and fairer global health order.
With stronger funding, clearer responsibilities, and a unified vision for pandemic response, global leaders are now better equipped to protect lives and livelihoods when the next crisis inevitably arrives.
