WHO Pandemic Treaty 2025: Global Agreement to Boost Health Security and Preparedness
Introduction: A Landmark Step for Global Health Governance
As the world reflects on the hard-earned lessons from COVID-19, a transformative step in global health cooperation is underway. The World Health Organization (WHO) has finalized a landmark Pandemic Treaty, a proposed international agreement aimed at strengthening the world’s ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics.
Set to be discussed at the upcoming 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) on May 19, 2025, this treaty represents a bold vision for global health security, international solidarity, and public health resilience. Developed over two years of intense negotiations by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), the treaty sets the stage for a new global health architecture rooted in equity, transparency, and preparedness.
Table of Contents
- Introduction: A Landmark Step for Global Health Governance
- Background: How the Pandemic Treaty Came to Be
- Highlights from the Pandemic Treaty 2025 Draft
- Safeguarding National Sovereignty in the Treaty
- WHO Director-General’s Statement: A Vision for Unity and Cooperation
- What to Expect at the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025
- Implications of the Pandemic Treaty for Global Health
- FAQs: Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance
- Conclusion: A New Era of Pandemic Preparedness
Background: How the Pandemic Treaty Came to Be
Origins of the Treaty
The idea for a binding global health agreement took root in December 2021, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the lack of a coordinated international response during the crisis, WHO Member States initiated efforts to establish a treaty that would provide a unified framework for future pandemics.
This marked the birth of the Pandemic Treaty — a proposed agreement under the WHO Constitution designed to fill critical gaps in the global health governance system.
Role of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB)
To bring the treaty to life, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) was formed — a body tasked with overseeing a transparent, inclusive, and multilateral negotiation process.
Over the course of two years, the INB held:
- 13 formal negotiation sessions (9 of which were extended due to topic sensitivity)
- Multiple informal consultations and intersessional dialogues
This collaborative effort brought together all 194 WHO Member States, along with inputs from experts, civil society groups, and regional blocs. The outcome? A final draft of the Pandemic Treaty, now ready for presentation at the 78th WHA in May 2025.
Highlights from the Pandemic Treaty 2025 Draft
Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS)
One of the treaty’s cornerstone innovations is the PABS system — a global framework that enables rapid sharing of pathogens and genomic data during health emergencies. In return, it ensures:
- Equitable access to medical countermeasures (vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics)
- Transparent benefit-sharing among all member states
This provision seeks to eliminate delays and inequalities witnessed during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
One Health Framework
Embracing the One Health Approach, the treaty emphasizes the interconnectedness of:
- Human health
- Animal health
- Environmental health
It promotes cross-sectoral collaboration to tackle zoonotic diseases and prevent spillovers through surveillance, coordinated responses, and sustainable development measures.
Equitable R&D and Tech Transfer
To avoid regional disparities in innovation, the treaty includes mechanisms for:
- Expanding R&D hubs in underserved regions
- Facilitating technology and knowledge transfer between countries
- Encouraging public-private partnerships in health innovation
The goal is to create a globally balanced research ecosystem, ensuring timely access to life-saving technologies for all.
Coordinated Health Emergency Workforce
The treaty proposes the formation of a globally coordinated emergency health workforce — a multidisciplinary pool of professionals who can be rapidly deployed during a crisis. This force would include:
- Medical practitioners
- Epidemiologists and public health experts
- Logistics and supply chain professionals
- Emergency responders
This provision aims to prevent resource shortages and delays during future outbreaks.
Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network
Learning from the disruptions caused during COVID-19, the treaty outlines a strategy for building a resilient and efficient global health supply chain. It includes:
- Diversified sourcing of medical goods
- Real-time inventory tracking
- Emergency stockpiles and distribution hubs
This system is designed to support quick delivery of critical supplies during health emergencies.
Pandemic Financial Support Mechanism
To fund these initiatives, the treaty introduces a coordinated global financial system. This mechanism would:
- Pool resources from member states, international bodies, and the private sector
- Provide rapid-response funding for countries during emergencies
- Ensure sustained investment in health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness
Safeguarding National Sovereignty in the Treaty
Addressing a key concern, the treaty firmly reaffirms national sovereignty in public health decision-making. It clearly states that the WHO will not be empowered to:
- Impose or enforce national laws
- Mandate lockdowns, treatments, or travel bans
- Override a country’s public health policies
Instead, the treaty promotes voluntary alignment with its guidelines, allowing member states to retain full autonomy while participating in coordinated global efforts.
This clause is crucial in countering misinformation and skepticism, especially in democratic societies where public trust is essential.
WHO Director-General’s Statement: A Vision for Unity and Cooperation
In his remarks following the finalization of the treaty, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described it as a “generational accord.”
“This treaty reflects our collective commitment to safeguarding the future of global health. It is a testament to what we can achieve when we act together, guided by unity, foresight, and a sense of shared responsibility.”
— Dr. Tedros, WHO Director-General
He emphasized that the treaty’s power lies not in coercion, but in collaboration and global solidarity.
What to Expect at the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025
The upcoming 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), scheduled for May 19, 2025, will be the venue for the treaty’s formal discussion and possible adoption.
Key items on the WHA agenda:
- Member state deliberations on the treaty’s legal status and implementation roadmap
- Debates on timelines for operationalizing treaty provisions
- Input from civil society, academia, and global health alliances
If adopted, the treaty would mark a historic turning point in international health law and pandemic preparedness.
Implications of the Pandemic Treaty for Global Health
Here’s how the treaty could reshape global health security:
- Faster global response to outbreaks
- Greater equity in vaccine and treatment access
- Improved global cooperation in science and surveillance
- More resilient national health systems
- Reduction in pandemic-related socio-economic disruptions
In essence, the treaty represents a proactive move away from crisis management toward anticipatory action.
FAQs: Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance
- What is the WHO Pandemic Treaty?
A proposed international agreement to improve the world’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to pandemics through coordinated efforts under the WHO’s framework. - Will the treaty give the WHO authority over national governments?
No. The treaty explicitly respects national sovereignty. It encourages cooperation but does not allow the WHO to enforce laws or mandates. - What is the PABS system mentioned in the treaty?
PABS stands for Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing — a framework to ensure rapid sharing of pathogen data and fair access to medical countermeasures. - How will low-income countries benefit from the treaty?
Through mechanisms like tech transfer, funding support, and equitable access to vaccines and diagnostics during health emergencies. - When will the treaty come into effect?
If adopted at the WHA in May 2025, the treaty’s implementation phases will be outlined and agreed upon in the months that follow. - What is the One Health approach?
It’s an integrated strategy that considers human, animal, and environmental health as interconnected — promoting coordinated actions to prevent future zoonotic pandemics.
Conclusion: A New Era of Pandemic Preparedness
The WHO Pandemic Treaty 2025 stands as a transformative milestone in the evolution of global health governance. It moves the international community from reactive crisis management to a forward-thinking model rooted in preparedness, equity, and resilience.
At its core, the treaty represents a collective global commitment to ensure that the devastating consequences of recent pandemics, particularly COVID-19, are never repeated. It recognizes that in an interconnected world, the health of one nation can rapidly affect all — making collaborative public health strategies not just ideal, but essential.
By embedding key principles such as the One Health approach, the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, and a globally coordinated workforce, the treaty provides a structured yet flexible framework to detect, prevent, and respond to health threats in real time. It also directly addresses historical inequalities in access to medical tools by promoting technology transfer, regional R&D expansion, and fair financial mechanisms.
Perhaps most significantly, the treaty achieves this while firmly upholding the sovereignty of individual nations. It empowers countries to make their own public health decisions while aligning with shared goals that enhance collective security — a balance that is crucial for widespread support and implementation.
Looking ahead, the adoption and operationalization of this treaty at the 78th World Health Assembly could mark the beginning of a new chapter — one where pandemic preparedness and global health security are no longer viewed as luxury objectives, but as core pillars of sustainable development and human well-being.
