PABS: Finalise agreement against future pandemics, WHO tells member states

The World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has urged member states to finalise negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS), annex of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

He warned that the world remains vulnerable to future pandemics.

Opening the seventh meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG), Dr. Tedros stated that member states hoped to conclude negotiations in time for adoption at this year’s World Health Assembly adding that the focus should now be on completing the process.

“We had all hoped that negotiations on the PABS annex would be complete in time for adoption at this year’s World Health Assembly. That didn’t happen. But that’s not what matters now,” he said.

Dr. Tedros praised delegates for remaining committed to the negotiations despite the challenges, describing their continued engagement as evidence that multilateral cooperation remains strong.

“Your presence here today tells the world something important: that despite everything, multilateralism is alive. You are proving that cooperation, dialogue and compromise are still possible,” he said.

The WHO chief urged negotiators to maintain the spirit of constructive dialogue demonstrated during recent informal discussions and to remain focused on establishing a system that enables the rapid sharing of pathogen samples and information while ensuring that resulting benefits are distributed fairly and equitably.

He acknowledged that significant differences remain among member states but expressed confidence that consensus can still be achieved.

“I won’t pretend the final stretch will be easy. The differences that remain are real, but they are not impossible to bridge,” he said.

Dr. Tedros warned that delays in finalising the agreement leave the world less prepared to respond to future public health emergencies.

“The next pandemic will not wait for us to be ready,” he said.

He said the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a reminder that infectious disease threats remain ever-present, while also pointing to the recent containment of a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship as evidence that rapid international cooperation can prevent wider outbreaks.”