WHO Approves New Pandemic Agreement

May 21, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

The World Health Organisation approved a landmark Pandemic Agreement, aimed at better coordination, monitoring, and vaccine sharing in the event of future pandemics.

The agreement was reached on day two of the WHO annual meeting in Geneva, and as the UN body grapples with US funding cuts and plans to withdraw, that has left the agency struggling to carry out its mandate to promote health and keep the world safe.

The landmark decision by the 78th World Health Assembly follows more than three years of negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and driven by the goal of making the world safer from – and more equitable in response to – future pandemics.

Among other things, the treaty guarantees that countries that share critical samples of viruses will receive any resulting tests, medicines, and vaccines and give WHO up to 20% of such products to make sure poorer countries can have access to them.