The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) plays a critical role in shaping global health security by facilitating negotiations among World Health Organization (WHO) member states to develop a comprehensive pandemic agreement. Its importance lies in fostering international cooperation to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics, ensuring that countries collectively address global health threats that no single government can tackle alone. The INB provides a platform for inclusive dialogue on key issues such as equitable access to healthcare resources, sustainable financing, and mechanisms for coordinated pandemic response. By incorporating diverse perspectives, including those from civil society and community groups, the INB helps create a robust and inclusive framework that can strengthen global health resilience and better protect populations from future public health emergencies.
EANNASO has closely monitored the ongoing INB discussions and kept civil society organizations (CSOs) and communities informed on progress. As the world approaches a historic moment at the World Health Assembly (WHA), where member states will seek to adopt the first-ever pandemic agreement, we emphasize the need for meaningful CSO participation. Despite over two years of negotiations involving 194 countries, the current draft mentions civil society only once, under Article 17—a concerning omission given the critical role CSOs played during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Tedros, WHO Director-General, called this agreement a “generational opportunity” to protect future generations from similar crises. Yet key issues, such as financing and implementation mechanisms, remain unresolved. As negotiations resume from EANNASO, being part of the Pandemic Action Network (PAN), continues to advocate for the inclusion of CSOs.