Pandemic agreement makes the world more resilient to future health crises

On 20 May 2025, the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) signed off on the long-awaited pandemic agreement, which is designed to help the world respond to future health crises with resilience, efficiency, and fairness. Our colleagues were actively involved in the discussions.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still quite fresh in our memories. Thanks in part to the rapid development of vaccines, we eventually pulled through and managed to avoid even worse outcomes. Still, a lot went wrong. Information sharing remained patchy, and vaccine distribution was extremely difficult. The Global North quickly secured more than enough doses, while the Global South had to make do with small quantities for a long time.

Equitable access

The general sentiment was clear: we could do much better. Voices from around the world called for serious lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 catastrophe. What we needed was a widely supported agreement that would leave the world far better prepared for the next pandemic. Because one thing is certain: another pandemic is inevitable. Infectious diseases are on the rise, and viruses do not care about borders.

About three years ago, intensive negotiations began within the World Health Organization (WHO), under the joint chairmanship of South Africa, France, and the Netherlands. While the EU negotiates on behalf of its 27 member states, that didn’t stop individual countries from taking a seat at the table. Belgium, too, had a strong say in the matter.

Together with the FPS Public Health, our FPS Foreign Affairs played a key role. Our colleagues from the Permanent Representation in Geneva — home of the WHO — were always actively involved in the meetings.

We were able to make our mark on the negotiations. Belgium consistently pushed for universal and equitable access to medical solutions such as vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics. In other words: no one should be left behind — everyone has the right to access necessary medicines.

One Health

Finally, on 20 May 2025, the WHO member states unanimously — with a few abstentions — adopted the world’s first-ever pandemic agreement. This robust agreement lays down firm decisions on the prevention of, preparedness for, and response to potential future pandemics. Belgium’s key priority — equitable and timely access to medical solutions — is a central pillar of the agreement.

The agreement also promotes far-reaching cooperation between countries and provides logistical and financial solutions for those facing difficulties. This, too, significantly boosts our preparedness. After all, pandemics know no borders.

Furthermore, it is notable that the agreement is based on the concept of One Health — the idea that human health is inextricably intertwined with the health of animals and the natural environment. If we fail to take our natural surroundings into account, we can never be sufficiently prepared for the next pandemic.

Additional annex

Still, we haven’t crossed the finish line just yet. Over the coming year, an annex still needs to be drawn up — namely, the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) mechanism. This will lay out in greater detail how information such as the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus genome will be shared. Researchers can then use that data to develop vaccines or medicines more quickly.

Solidarity is another key element of PABS: as soon as a medicine is produced somewhere, it should be easily distributed to other countries and made available to populations with limited financial resources. Low-income countries request a minimum share of the medicines for their populations – between 10 and 20%, to be determined – if they are affected by the same pathogen as high-income countries during a pandemic.

The discussions are expected to be difficult, as PABS requires broad consensus. That said, the mood is constructive, and we are hopeful that PABS will be finalised within the next couple of years.

Once the PABS annex has been finalised, the WHO member states will sign the pandemic agreement and ratify it through their parliaments. That will give the world a solid foundation to tackle the next pandemic effectively.

So, despite turbulent geopolitical times, the international community is still able to engage in dialogue, reach compromises, and work together! That in itself is an encouraging sign. As WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus put it: “The Agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action.”