Priti Patnaik with Tessa Jager & Shoa Moosavi
The negotiations on the pandemic accord took a decisive turn this week when the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body met to discuss the Bureau’s Text, where the thorniest of issues including on research and development, liability, access and benefit sharing, among others, were considered in detail.
Countries essentially accepted the Bureau’s Text, as the basis for negotiations, even as they are expected to bring their proposals to this version to improve it at every level, diplomatic sources indicated. Recall that the Bureau’s Text is built on the extensive compilation text which reflects all proposals made so far by WHO member states. But the Bureau’s Text does not include many of the provisions submitted by countries.
(See our earlier story from last week Countries to Decide Next Week Whether to Talk Tough Now or Pick "Low-Hanging Fruits" First? that shows the journey of the text through these various stages.)
Countries discussed some of the most contentious proposals in the draft accord including provisions dealing with equity. This is significant in and of itself, given that some developed countries, among others, had suggested last week that the more contentious proposals could be discussed later. This also shows greater willingness and appetite to address these difficult issues sooner in the process, with less than 10 months ahead of the May 2024 deadline that countries have set upon themselves.