The coming months will see WHO member states under intense pressure: first, to begin discussions on the basis of a text that will form the basis for negotiations towards a Pandemic Accord, and second, to conclude it within the stated deadline of May 2024. This pressure could mean making compromises by countries, forcing them to move from their long-held positions on contentious issues including on intellectual property, in a bid to achieve more defining goals in a Pandemic Accord such as on Access and Benefits Sharing, a few diplomatic sources have indicated.
While the motivation to conclude these negotiations continues to remain strong, not the least because of impending elections in a range of countries, the path towards an agreement remains less clear and as unpredictable as before. Many countries are keen to complete these negotiations should there be fundamental changes in politics at national levels. The rise of far-right agendas across countries big and small, threatens misunderstanding the nature of a new legal instrument and misconstrue implications for sovereignty. This is coupled with an attack on scientific reasoning, worsened by a growing anti-vaccines sentiment. These factors are adding to the urgency in concluding critical reforms on how the world responds to health emergencies.