Australian Health Minister urges countries to find a way for WHO’s Pandemic Treaty to progress

Australian Health Minister urges countries to find a way for WHO’s Pandemic Treaty to progress

Rebekah Barnett

Last week it was reported that plans to adopt an international pandemic treaty had stalled, as countries failed to reach an agreement on the final draft before the 77th World Health Assembly (“WHA”), which started in Geneva on Monday.

Australian Health Minister Mark Butler is not taking the news lying down.

In two addresses at the WHA in Geneva this week, Butler called for the “binding” World Health Organisation (WHO) treaty to be progressed as fast as possible, committing Australia to it in principle.

Speaking on behalf of Australia in the second plenary meeting at the WHA on Monday, Butler told those present:

We are also fully committed to concluding the WHO pandemic agreement. Together we have made considerable progress in our shared ambition towards a set of binding international commitments for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

We have a strong basis on which to finalise important amendments to the International Health Regulations this week. I urge all member states to redouble their efforts to resolve the remaining challenges and seize this opportunity to agree critical reforms to our global health architecture because we simply cannot afford to fail. (Emphasis mine)

In the ‘Committee A’ session the following day, Butler reiterated Australia’s commitment to the “binding” treaty, stating that countries were continuing to work on iterations of the draft agreement while the WHA is in progress, with a view to voting on next steps before the culmination of the Assembly on 1 June.

Together we have come a very long way from where we started just two and a half years ago, with a blank page and a shared ambition – an ambition for a set of binding commitments to prevent another pandemic and to be better prepared to respond, more effectively, and importantly, more equitably when the next pandemic hits. (Emphasis mine)

Butler went on:

Australia worked with a cross-regional group over the weekend and yesterday to table a draft decision reflecting the available options to finalise the agreement.

Based on legal counsel’s advice, the choices for this Assembly are essentially to continue negotiations through the INB [Intergovernmental Negotiating Body] or through another body, then to request the outcome be submitted to this 77th session at a resumed meeting, to a special session or to a future regular session.

He then voiced support for finalising and adopting the IHR amendments, which is the second set of proposed WHO reforms to be voted on at the WHA.

A media statement released by the WHO this week confirms the details of Butler’s address to the WHA on 28 May, stating:

WHO Member States agreed to continue to work during the World Health Assembly, which ends on 1 June, with the aim to:

• finalise the package of amendments to the IHR (2005)
• agree the timing, format and process to conclude the pandemic agreement.

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