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First meeting of WHO body to discuss new pandemics treaty to be held on 1 March, WHO's Tedros says

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

01 December 2021 15:38 (UTC +04:00)

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday that the first meeting of the organization's commission to discuss new treaty on the COVID-19 pandemic will take place on 1 March 2022, and its final document will be presented in 2024, APA reports citing Sputnik.

"I welcome your commitment to hold the first meeting of the INB [intergovernmental negotiating body] no later than the first of March 2022, and to submit its outcome for consideration to the World Health Assembly in 2024. And I give you my commitment that the Secretariat will support this process," Tedros said at the end of the WHO assembly special session.

He also expressed his support for the decision to establish a negotiating body to discuss a WHO convention on the COVID-19 pandemic response.

"I welcome the decision you have adopted today, to establish an intergovernmental negotiating body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response," Tedros said.