IGWG 6 Statement: A Call To WHO Member States - Agree A PABS Annex And Deliver On The Promise Of The Pandemic Agreement

The Independent Panel Statement in advance of the IGWG 6th Meeting, March 23-28 2026

Six years ago this month, Dr Tedros characterized the rapid spread of COVID-19 as a pandemic. Every region struggled to manage overwhelming increases in infections and deaths.

Five years ago this month, political leaders from all regions, with the European Council at the forefront, rallied behind a pandemic treaty that legally binds countries to work together to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics, asserting ‘no one is safe until everyone is safe’. In a widely applauded joint statement, they stressed that a treaty should be guided by “solidarity, fairness, transparency, inclusiveness and equity.”

In this vital week of negotiations on the PABS annex, WHO Member States must take a decisive step towards achieving that vision. All Member States have a collective interest and responsibility to see PABS adopted, and to have the Pandemic Agreement open for ratification this May.

The task with the PABS annex is to create a binding framework which operationalises the linkage between sharing pathogen information and sharing benefits, as clearly set out in Article 12 of the Pandemic Agreement.

Negotiators worked sleepless hours last year to agree on that Article 12. This week is not about reopening those negotiations, but rather about bringing the Article’s agreed provisions to life.

This is the final scheduled week of negotiations, and there is simply no more time to lose. Successful negotiations will require negotiators to compromise. But what cannot be compromised on is equity, through a binding guarantee for countries to secure benefits.

The Article 12 provision on the agreed twenty per cent target for vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments is a floor - not a ceiling. Building an equitable system and future regional self-reliance and resilience goes far beyond medical tools. The Independent Panel continues to call for clear agreements on non-exclusive licensing, technology and knowledge transfer, and on research and development co-operation, as set out in Article 12 of the Pandemic Agreement.

Ultimately, the Pandemic Agreement and its PABS annex must function in a way which enables every region to be better prepared for and protected from pandemic threats.

We join the many who are watching the PABS negotiations closely, and we are counting on you to achieve a successful outcome.

In May, at the World Health Assembly, we want to applaud the adoption of PABS and soon after witness the first signatures to the Pandemic Agreement. We will champion its widespread ratification and implementation, including through the UN High-Level Meeting this year.

The acute crisis of COVID-19 has passed, but another pandemic threat can arise at any time. With this in mind, we urge negotiators to focus this week on making solidarity for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response their enduring legacy.

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