Countries have taken a major step toward finalizing a landmark global agreement aimed at preventing future pandemics.
The agreement follows more than three years of talks launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to address global gaps in pandemic readiness and response. If adopted, it would be the first legally binding deal of its kind under WHO’s Constitution, focused on stronger cooperation between countries, institutions, and private and civil sectors.
“Governments are acting together to make the world healthier, fairer and safer from future pandemic threats,” said WHO Director-General Dr TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS. “This agreement means countries will be better prepared and more united the next time a pandemic strikes.”
Namibia’s Health Minister, Dr ESPERANCE LUVINDAO, who chaired Monday’s committee session, called the deal a show of solidarity after the devastating global losses from COVID-19. “We owe this to the world’s children, elders and health workers,” she said.
If approved in Tuesday’s vote, the resolution will launch several key initiatives:
A new Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system, which aims to ensure fair access to virus samples and resulting treatments or vaccines;
A global supply and logistics network to guarantee fast and equitable distribution of pandemic-related health tools;
The creation of a financial coordination mechanism to support global pandemic response efforts.
Under the proposed terms, vaccine and drug manufacturers would be expected to make 20% of real-time production of vaccines, treatments and tests available to WHO during a pandemic. Distribution would prioritize public health risk and developing countries.
The agreement complements recent updates to the International Health Regulations, which strengthen global outbreak detection and response.
Tuesday’s full assembly vote will be followed by high-level speeches from world leaders. If adopted, the deal will need 60 national ratifications to officially take effect.
WHO officials praised the efforts of negotiators and the support teams involved. “This is a historic achievement,” said Dr Tedros. “The world is safer today because of their work.”
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Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, whose name became synonymous with modern elegance and global luxury, has died at the age of 91, his company announced on Thursday, 4 September.
Access to Google services was restored Thursday after a region-wide outage cut off millions of users across dozens of countries, with disruptions reported in platforms including YouTube, Gmail and Maps.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met on Thursday in Beijing, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
When Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants stormed her village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Maman Soki lost her daughter, sister, and neighbours.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met on Thursday in Beijing, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
When Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants stormed her village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Maman Soki lost her daughter, sister, and neighbours.
European leaders including Türkiye and Canada are arriving in Paris, France on Thursday for another "coalition of the willing" meeting.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Economy, Haji Qari Din Mohammad Hanif, has praised Japan for its humanitarian and development assistance over the past two years, calling relations between Kabul and Tokyo “historic”.
Rescue teams have been working to recover bodies from the wreckage of homes destroyed in this week’s earthquakes in Afghanistan, as the window for survivors narrows.
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