Delegates from member states of the returned to formal negotiations this week to continue discussions on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex, one of the most contested and central components of the proposed Pandemic Agreement.
The resumed sixth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (IGWG6) follows a week of informal consultations held from April 20–24 and comes ahead of the upcoming , where countries are expected either to present a final PABS text for adoption or decide on the way forward for both the annex and the broader Pandemic Agreement.
The PABS system is intended to establish rules on how countries and researchers share pathogens and genetic sequence data during outbreaks, and how benefits such as vaccines, diagnostics, treatments, technology, and financing are distributed in return.
According to updates shared by the , last week’s informal consultations, co-facilitated by France and South Africa, focused heavily on the benefits section of the annex. Negotiators reportedly tested possible “landing zones” — compromise proposals intended to bridge long-standing divisions between countries.
The informal sessions were said to have improved the mood among delegates after months of difficult discussions. Some progress was reportedly made on thorny issues such as how benefits would be advanced during Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs).
However, negotiators now face the challenge of translating those informal understandings into agreed language within the official negotiating text.
Monday’s opening session was notably shorter than previous meetings. Co-chairs encouraged delegates to avoid lengthy general statements and focus instead on negotiations. Unlike earlier sessions, relevant stakeholders and civil society groups were not given the opportunity to speak during the opening.
Addressing delegates, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the urgency of reaching an agreement before the World Health Assembly.
He told member states that they must work together to find common ground, warning that the world “cannot afford” to fail in reaching an agreement. He acknowledged that the PABS system may not be perfect but said a workable middle ground remained achievable.
Tedros also framed the negotiations as a broader test of international cooperation, saying the successful completion of the Pandemic Agreement would demonstrate what countries can achieve collectively at a time when multilateralism and global health cooperation face growing pressure.
Zimbabwe, speaking on behalf of the African Group, was the only member state to make an intervention during the opening session. The delegation urged countries to maximize available negotiating time through both daytime formal sessions and evening informal meetings.
Negotiations on Monday focused mainly on Section II of the annex dealing with benefits, while subsequent sessions shifted attention to pathogen access provisions. Delegates are expected to conduct a stocktaking exercise midweek before updating relevant stakeholders.
The outcome of the negotiations is being closely watched globally, particularly by African and other low- and middle-income countries that have repeatedly called for more equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and technologies during future pandemics.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep inequalities in access to lifesaving tools, with many lower-income countries waiting months or years for vaccines and treatments while wealthier nations secured supplies early. Many countries now see the Pandemic Agreement and the PABS system as an opportunity to address those inequities before the next global health emergency strikes.
Pandemic Agreement Talks Continue as WHO Member States Struggle to Reach Consensus on PABS Annex
Negotiations over the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex of the proposed Pandemic Agreement intensified this week as member states worked late into the night trying to bridge divisions ahead of the later this month.
The resumed sixth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (IGWG6), which began on Monday, April 27, focused on finalizing one of the most politically sensitive sections of the Pandemic Agreement — how pathogens and genetic sequence data will be shared during outbreaks and how countries will benefit in return.
According to updates shared by the , negotiations on Monday centered on Section II of the annex dealing with benefits. Tuesday’s discussions shifted toward pathogen access, while Wednesday focused on governance arrangements.
Formal and informal negotiations reportedly continued until 11:30 p.m. Central European Time on Wednesday as delegates attempted to narrow differences on unresolved provisions.
The PABS annex is viewed as a cornerstone of the Pandemic Agreement because it seeks to address tensions exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many low- and middle-income countries shared samples and data but later struggled to access vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other lifesaving tools.
During the week, different regional blocs — including the European Union and the African Group — held cross-regional consultations aimed at understanding each other’s positions and identifying possible compromise language.
Both sides exchanged revised text proposals, but negotiators had reportedly not yet identified clear “landing zones” on several contentious issues.
On Wednesday, April 29, the bureau and member states conducted a stocktaking exercise during a formal drafting group meeting to assess progress and determine remaining gaps in the text.
The following day, Thursday, April 30, co-chairs briefed relevant stakeholders during an open session and acknowledged that while some progress had been achieved, negotiations remained far from complete.
The co-chairs highlighted differing views among member states regarding how to move the process forward, emphasizing that governments themselves would ultimately decide the next steps for the PABS annex and the broader Pandemic Agreement.
Civil society organizations and observers attending the Thursday morning session expressed concern over the limited progress reflected in the latest negotiating text shared by the bureau.
Several organizations reiterated the need for an equitable PABS system that guarantees fair sharing of benefits during future pandemics and urged countries not to weaken commitments as negotiations continue.
Thursday’s negotiations focused again on benefit-sharing issues, as well as proposals related to a WHO-coordinated laboratory network and network databases that would support pathogen surveillance and information-sharing.
The resumed negotiating session was expected to conclude on Friday, May 1, but with several unresolved issues still lacking consensus, uncertainty remained over whether countries would be able to finalize the annex before the World Health Assembly.
The negotiations are being closely watched globally, especially by African countries and public health advocates who argue that the Pandemic Agreement represents a critical opportunity to correct inequities witnessed during COVID-19.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had earlier urged delegates to find common ground, warning that the world could not afford to fail in reaching an agreement and describing the talks as a test of multilateralism and global solidarity in global health.
WHO Member States Extend Pandemic Agreement Negotiations After Failing to Finalise PABS Annex (MAY 1)
Delegates negotiating the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex of the proposed Pandemic Agreement concluded the resumed sixth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (IGWG6) on Friday, May 1, without reaching consensus on a final text.
The outcome means negotiations on one of the most critical and contested components of the Pandemic Agreement will continue beyond this month’s .
The PABS annex is intended to establish rules governing how countries share pathogens and genetic sequence data during outbreaks, as well as how benefits such as vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, financing, and technology are distributed in return.
According to updates shared by the , negotiations made progress in several areas during the week, including governance arrangements, benefit-sharing provisions, and the use of terminology within the draft text. However, the progress was not sufficient to produce an agreed text ready for adoption at the upcoming World Health Assembly.
Formal and informal discussions throughout the week revealed that major differences remain, particularly regarding how countries would share and access PABS materials and sequence information during future health emergencies.
Member states eventually agreed to extend the negotiating mandate by one more year. Countries will present the current state of negotiations at the World Health Assembly later this month and continue discussions with the goal of finalizing the annex for presentation at the in 2027 — or earlier through a special session of the Assembly if sufficient progress is made.
Several delegations also called for changes in the way negotiations are conducted, arguing that new working methods may be necessary to help countries move closer to consensus on unresolved issues.
Despite the deadlock, member states reaffirmed their commitment to continue working toward adoption of the PABS annex, which is necessary for the full Pandemic Agreement to enter into force. Until agreement is reached, implementation of the broader Pandemic Agreement remains on hold.
The next formal negotiating session, known as IGWG7, is scheduled for July 6–17, 2026. Informal hybrid meetings may also take place before then to advance discussions on pathogen access and develop new draft proposals for consideration.
The developments were tracked and summarized by the , which has been closely monitoring the negotiations throughout the resumed IGWG6 session.
Adopted from RAN (ran.co) bsky.app
