Foundation advocates adoption of proposed pandemic agreement

Ahead of the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), a German political foundation, has highlighted the significance of the proposed pandemic agreement for global preparedness and response to future pandemics.

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is also referred to as Konrad-Adenauer Foundation (KAF), its English translation.

Addressing journalists Tuesday on Zoom, a research associate at KAS, Anja-Maria Rittner, said the pandemic agreement has important elements that will be beneficial to the WHO’s member states who are still negotiating the pandemic treaty.

Ms Rittner said the idea of the agreement emerged during the start of the pandemic in 2020 when it was proposed to complement existing International Health Regulations (IHR) for adoption by WHO member states to strengthen pandemic prevention and response.

As of 10 May, WHO said governments agreed to continue working on the proposed pandemic agreement and to further refine the draft, ahead of the 77th WHA scheduled for 27 May.

The instrument is being negotiated by the delegations of the 194 member countries of WHO, to build on the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent future pandemics.

One health approach

According to Ms Rittner, one of the important elements of the pandemic agreement is recognising that the primary responsibility of states is to strengthen its health workforce.

She added that the ratification of the agreement is for the benefit of global health outcomes, adding that she hopes the member states “would reach a consensus during the 77th WHA.”

She said its focus is to strengthen global emergency capacities and health response in the case of a pandemic, for proper intervention and prevention strategies to stop the pandemic.

Mrs Rittner noted that in the proposed treaty, member states commit to promoting a “one health approach” for pandemic prevention, recognising the interconnection between people, animals, and the environment.

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“The idea of integrating one health into the pandemic agreement is based on the acknowledgement that pandemics can arise not only from human health, it can come from animals and the environment,” she said.

“We want to prevent the emergence and reemergence of the disease. The idea of the pandemic agreement will be to oblige member states to interface and implement control measures and to have a broader look at where infections come from.”

Challenges

The KAS official also said that “misinformation, waning interest and entrenched positions” are some of the challenges that threaten the WHO’s pandemic-related negotiations.

Ms Rittner said there were rumours that the treaty would give WHO the power to impose mandatory vaccination and lockdown. In January, the Director General of WHO, Tedro Ghebreyesus, raised concerns that lies and entrenched positions undermine the pandemic negotiations.

“But agreement will only be reached if member states are prepared to compromise and push back against “fake news, lies and conspiracy theories,” said Mr Ghebreyesus.

He pointed out that the global misinformation campaign is pushing the notion that the pandemic agreement and changes to the IHR will “cede sovereignty to WHO and give the WHO Secretariat the power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates on countries.”

About pandemic agreement

In March 2021, heads of state and government from countries issued a statement of commitment calling for global collaboration to prepare for, prevent, and respond to pandemics.

In December 2021, WHO member states decided to launch a global process to draft and negotiate a legally binding convention, agreement, or other international instruments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

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The instrument currently being negotiated by WHO countries, also called ‘the accord’, aims to improve prevention, preparedness, and response to future pandemics at a global level.

The final decision to adopt the instrument will lie with the WHO member countries. Once agreed, the instrument will be legally binding and rooted in the WHO constitution.

About KAS

According to the information on its website, freedom, justice, and solidarity are the basic principles underlying the work of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).

The KAS is a political foundation, closely associated with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU).

As co-founder of the CDU and the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) united Christian-social, conservative and liberal traditions.

The organisation said: “We cooperate with governmental institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, and handpicked elites, building strong partnerships along the way.

“In particular we seek to intensify political cooperation in the area of development cooperation at the national and international levels on the foundations of our objectives and values.

“Together with our partners, we contribute to the creation of an international order that enables every country to develop in freedom and under its responsibility.”