Balkans | The member states of the World Health Organization have agreed to draft an international convention to combat epidemics

Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed to prepare the first international draft agreement, which is planned to better protect the world and combat potential global pandemics after Kovid-19.

On the last day of the third meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Unit (INB), which was held at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva, the issue of the draft international convention for combating epidemics, legally binding for WHO member states, was discussed.

In the statement made by the World Health Organization after the meeting, it was announced that the majority of Member States agreed to start the process of preparing the draft agreement.

Roland Drees, Co-Chair of INB stated that through this alliance, member states are sending a firm message to work more prepared for future pandemics, work more collaboratively and see more go wrong with Kovid-19.

The draft text will be negotiated in February 2023

Indicating that INB will start the drafting process with the resolution, Drees stated that they will start negotiating the articles contained in the draft agreement in the fourth meeting to be held on February 27, 2023.

At the WHO General Assembly meeting in December 2021, it was decided to prepare an international agreement that would legally bind all member states in order to better protect the world from future global pandemics after Kovid-19.

While most member states viewed this idea positively, some states, especially the United States of America, rejected the idea of ​​an “international agreement” because it harms national sovereignty.

AA