Model UN Background Guide

Committee: World Health Organization (WHO)

Topic: Pandemic Treaty Negotiation

Conference Year: 2025

1. Topic Background

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in global preparedness, response coordination, and equitable access to medical countermeasures. Despite WHO’s leadership and existing frameworks like the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005), the unprecedented scale and impact of COVID-19 revealed weaknesses in timely information sharing, supply chain resilience, and equitable vaccine distribution. These challenges have galvanized calls for a more robust international legal instrument—a "pandemic treaty"—to strengthen global health security, improve transparency, and ensure fair access to diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines in future pandemics.

The idea of a pandemic treaty gained momentum in 2021 when the World Health Assembly (WHA) established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) tasked with drafting a legally binding instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The treaty aims to complement and reinforce existing health regulations and frameworks by addressing systemic issues such as pathogen sharing, intellectual property rights, financing mechanisms, and cooperation on research and development.

As of 2025, negotiations continue amid divergent views on sovereignty, equity, and the scope of obligations. The treaty is considered crucial to preventing the repetition of the COVID-19 crisis and to strengthening global solidarity in the face of emerging infectious diseases. The WHO remains the central platform for these negotiations, reflecting its mandate and technical expertise. However, the treaty’s success depends on reconciling the interests of diverse states and stakeholders, making this a key agenda item for the WHO and the broader UN system.

2. Key Actors

States

• United States: A major funder of global health initiatives, the U.S. supports a treaty that strengthens transparency and rapid information sharing but is cautious about overly binding commitments that could affect national sovereignty or intellectual property rights.
• European Union: Advocates for a comprehensive treaty with strong enforcement mechanisms, equitable access provisions, and mechanisms for financing pandemic preparedness. The EU promotes multilateralism and has been active in pushing for a legally binding instrument.
• China: Emphasizes state sovereignty and favors a treaty that respects national decision-making authority. China supports cooperation but is wary of provisions that could be perceived as infringing on its internal affairs or intellectual property.
• India: Focuses on equitable access to vaccines and medicines, advocating for technology transfer and flexibility on intellectual property rights to support domestic manufacturing capacity. India also stresses the importance of financing for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Brazil and South Africa: Representing LMIC interests, these countries call for a treaty that ensures equitable distribution of medical countermeasures, addresses supply chain vulnerabilities, and strengthens health systems in developing countries.

International Organizations (IOs)

• World Health Organization (WHO): The primary facilitator of treaty negotiations, providing technical expertise and coordination. WHO advocates for a treaty that enhances global health security, strengthens the IHR framework, and ensures rapid, transparent reporting of outbreaks.
• World Trade Organization (WTO): Engaged indirectly due to the treaty’s potential impact on intellectual property rules, especially regarding access to vaccines and treatments.
• Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Key non-state actors influencing discussions on financing, vaccine development, and equitable distribution mechanisms.
• United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR): Supports integration of pandemic preparedness into broader disaster risk reduction frameworks.

3. Bloc Positions

1. Developed Countries Bloc (e.g., EU, Canada, Japan, Australia)

• Support a legally binding treaty with clear obligations on transparency, data sharing, and rapid response.
• Emphasize the importance of protecting intellectual property rights to incentivize innovation.
• Advocate for sustainable financing mechanisms but often resist mandatory financial contributions or redistribution schemes.
• Promote strengthening existing frameworks, such as the IHR, rather than creating parallel structures.

2. Emerging Economies and Middle-Income Countries (e.g., India, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia)

• Push for provisions on technology transfer, waivers, or flexibilities on intellectual property to enhance local manufacturing capacity.
• Demand equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, with concrete commitments for LMICs.
• Advocate for financial support mechanisms tailored to the needs of developing countries.
• Seek stronger accountability and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance by all states.

3. Sovereignty-Focused Bloc (e.g., China, Russia, some Gulf States)

• Prioritize national sovereignty and decision-making autonomy in health emergencies.
• Cautious about binding obligations that could limit their ability to control domestic responses or share sensitive information.
• Emphasize cooperation but prefer voluntary or non-binding commitments.
• Concerned about external interference and the potential politicization of health issues.

4. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

• Highlight vulnerabilities due to limited health infrastructure and resources.
• Advocate for financial and technical assistance to build pandemic preparedness capacity.
• Support equitable access provisions and emphasize the need for international solidarity.
• Often align with emerging economies on equitable access but seek additional safeguards for their unique challenges.

4. Past UN Action

• World Health Assembly Resolution WHA74.7 (2021): Established the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate the pandemic treaty.
• World Health Assembly Resolution WHA69.1 (2016): Strengthened the International Health Regulations (IHR) post-Ebola, emphasizing early detection and reporting of public health emergencies.
• UN General Assembly Resolution 74/270 (2020): Recognized the COVID-19 pandemic as a global health crisis and called for international cooperation in response efforts.
• WHO Executive Board Decision EB148(3) (2021): Supported the initiation of negotiations for a new international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response.

5. Questions a Resolution Should Answer

1. What specific obligations will states have regarding early detection, reporting, and transparency during outbreaks?
2. How will the treaty address equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, particularly for LMICs and vulnerable populations?
3. What mechanisms will be established for financing pandemic preparedness and response, and how will contributions be determined?
4. How will intellectual property rights be balanced with the need for technology transfer and local manufacturing capacity?
5. What enforcement or compliance mechanisms will ensure states adhere to treaty obligations?
6. How will the treaty integrate with existing international frameworks, such as the IHR and WTO agreements, to avoid duplication or conflict?
7. What role will non-state actors (e.g., private sector, civil society) play in pandemic preparedness and response under the treaty?

6. Further Reading

• UN Documents: Official records from the World Health Assembly and WHO Executive Board meetings, including resolutions, negotiating texts, and reports from the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body. These provide authoritative insights into the treaty’s development and state positions.

• Think-Tank Reports: Analyses from global health policy institutes such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Chatham House, and the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute. These reports offer in-depth assessments of treaty negotiation dynamics, legal implications, and financing challenges.

• News Outlets: Reputable international media sources including Reuters, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera cover real-time updates on negotiations, statements from key actors, and expert commentary on emerging issues related to the pandemic treaty. These sources help track political developments and stakeholder reactions.

This background guide aims to equip delegates with a comprehensive understanding of the complex, multifaceted negotiations surrounding the pandemic treaty, enabling them to engage effectively in the WHO committee discussions in 2025.