Summary
Finding common ground for the Covid-19 pandemic was attempted amongst nations.
I am writing about the article, "W.H.O. members agree to begin talks on a Global Pandemic Treaty." The W.H.O. member countries in 2021 tried to form a legally binding treaty in hopes of strengthening global defenses against pandemics. The governing body of the W.H.O. came to an agreement to make an intergovernmental negotiating body that meets to begin negotiating an international agreement intended to ensure a more coherent and equitable response to future pandemics. The director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was strongly for a legally binding treaty. The European Union and Britain wanted and were going for such a treaty that has legal force for months up until that point.
This most likely got sparked by the new variant of Covid-19, Omicron, since it made new travel rules and border closures which were geared towards southern African nations since that is where it was first discovered. The United States, Brazil, and other countries, however, were reluctant to sign a legally binding agreement and were open to a weaker type of agreement or treaty. Perhaps this was a retaliation of the lack of access for investigations when the Covid-19 outbreak emerged in Wuhan, China. It could also be skepticism in joining an agreement with other countries so each country does not have to comply to what other countries are doing as far as travel rules and border closures during the pandemic so they can keep doing as they please. In any manner it is unpredictable what each country wants and will do in the W.H.O when it comes to their interests and putting that first. There was even positivity mentioned toward such an agreement, and it was still difficult and close to impossible to get every member country of the W.H.O. on board to what they praised is a good step to take to fight global pandemics.
One reply on “Week 13 Post”
Krste,
This is certainly a very important development, based on what happened especially in the early months of the pandemic. China was NOT forthcoming on what happened in Wuhan, and it was unwilling to share public health data. Based on its current governance rules, there was very little that the WHO could do to require China to cooperate. Many of long criticized the WHO for the fact that it is always reactive instead of proactive. So it badly needs a modernization and strengthening of its policies and procedures. –Professor Wallerstein