World Health assembly adopts historic pandemic agreement

Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a landmark agreement on Tuesday aimed at strengthening global preparedness for future pandemics. However, the absence of the United States—the WHO’s largest financial contributor—has cast uncertainty over the pact's impact.

Following three years of negotiations, the legally binding agreement was approved at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, where it was met with applause from member nations. The accord is seen as a significant step for the WHO at a time when multilateral institutions have faced deep funding cuts, particularly from the U.S.

“This agreement marks a victory for public health, science, and international cooperation,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “It ensures we can better protect the world from future pandemics together.”

Key provisions include mandatory commitments from pharmaceutical manufacturers to allocate 20% of their pandemic-related vaccines, treatments, and tests to the WHO. This measure aims to address the stark inequalities seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when low-income countries struggled to access life-saving tools.

However, the U.S. will not be bound by the pact. Its representatives withdrew from negotiations after President Donald Trump initiated the country's withdrawal from the WHO upon taking office in January. As a result, the U.S.—which invested billions in vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic—will not be required to comply with the treaty’s terms.

Additionally, the treaty lacks enforcement mechanisms, meaning member states will not face penalties for failing to implement its provisions.

Late Objections and Mixed Support

The agreement narrowly avoided derailment after Slovakia, led by its vaccine-skeptic prime minister, called for a vote. Ultimately, 124 countries voted in favor, while no country opposed it. Eleven nations—including Slovakia, Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, and Iran—abstained.

Global health advocates offered mixed reactions. Some praised the agreement for addressing long-standing inequities in pandemic response.

“This treaty includes vital provisions, particularly in research and development, that could steer future responses toward greater fairness,” said Michelle Childs, Policy Advocacy Director at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative.

Others, however, criticized the agreement as falling short of its original ambitions.

“It’s more of a framework than a fully developed treaty,” said Gian Luca Burci, academic adviser at the Geneva Graduate Institute’s Global Health Centre. “It lacks concrete obligations and firm commitments. It’s a good starting point, but much more work is needed.”

Next Steps

The agreement will not take effect until an annex outlining the procedures for sharing pathogen-related data is finalized. The WHO said negotiations on this annex will begin in July, with the goal of presenting it for adoption at a future World Health Assembly. A Western diplomatic source warned the process could take up to two years.