PANDEMICS 4.1
communities. These are important elements that were considered during the inception phases of the negotiations that embraced principles of transparency, solidarity and accountability. Accountability processes should be non-punitive and grounded in principles of transparency, learning and continuous improvement. They are a firm foundation for future work. WHAT ABOUT THE MONEY? In an environment where there is uncertainty and budgets are shrinking, the coordination of financing mechanisms is crucial. Predictable financing is essential at both the domestic and the global level to support equitable pandemic preparedness and response capacities worldwide. Further coordination should occur across various humanitarian and development assistance actors for health initiatives with domestic health spending to maximise impact and build sustainable capacities. Governance and financing options at the country level cannot be viewed in isolation; they must be considered in the context of global and regional developments. WHAT’S NEXT? With the pandemic a fading memory, a new generation of leaders should emerge, determined to prevent future health threats, perhaps first by building trust. Those who negotiated the Pandemic Agreement and the amendments to the International Health Regulations have invested their time, energy and effort to negotiate a future-proof legal instrument. The intrinsic value in nurturing solidarity and dialogue is at the core of negotiations and respect for the sovereignty of countries, and this must continue in this transitional preparatory phase. The adoption of the Pandemic Agreement is a true diplomatic achievement. Is it perfect? Probably not. But in this fragmented world we need a good dose of realism about what we collectively can achieve. Let us be content with what we are doing as a global health community, under very challenging circumstances. Let us finish the job and make the treaty the starting point of our collective endeavours in making the world safer from pandemics. ▪
PRECIOUS MATSOSO Precious Matsoso is the director of the Health Regulatory Science Platform at the University of the Witwatersrand and adjunct professor at the University of Sunway. She co-chaired the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body for the Pandemic Agreement and
was on the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. She was director-general of the South African National Department of Health. She chaired the World Health Organization’s Executive Board and the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, and was a member of the United Nations High- Level Panel on Access to Health Technologies.
ROLAND DRIECE Roland Driece is the director for international affairs at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports in the Netherlands. He has a long career in international health policies and is and was – among other things – a bureau member of the World Health Organization
that has accountability mechanisms that enable better cooperation, promote global solidarity and ensure equity. The Pandemic Agreement has specific provisions that deal with this – but we must put the building blocks in place. CHOICES TO BE MADE Countries and state parties must take responsibility for making the Pandemic Agreement a reality. The first milestone in this journey was the adoption of the treaty text. The next crucial step is to conclude the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex. This annex is aimed at the rapid and unimpeded sharing of pathogenic data and establishing a fair and equitable return for that sharing. It needs to show the true willingness of all parties to work together in fighting and preventing pandemics. Legal instruments and national commitments must engage relevant government stakeholders, while also tapping into the capacities of civil society, the private sector and local
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, co-chair of the International Negotiating Body for the Pandemic Agreement, a member of the European Union Covid vaccines procurement team and a member of the EU-HERA Board.
Health: A Political Choice – The Future of Health in a Fractured World 47
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