This comes after the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) was unable to reach consensus on the draft text of the treaty after nine meetings.

Fourteen cross Party parliamentarians have so far voiced opposition to Australia signing up to a global pandemic treaty.

COMMITTED

Speaking in Geneva in Committee A on May 28, Mr Butler said “Australia remains fully committed to completing the WHO pandemic agreement”.

“Together we have come a very long way from where we started just two and a half years ago with a blank page and a shared ambition,” he said.

“An ambition for a set of binding commitments to prevent another pandemic and to be better prepared to respond more effectively and importantly more equitably when the next pandemic hits.”

When Australia decided to embark on this process in the height of the pandemic, they knew that it would not be easy, Mr Butler said.

“But we came together and took the decision, we even called the world together because this is a historic opportunity and a public health imperative, it is simply our responsibility.”

He noted the INB had developed into a “distinguished bureau” since its inception and praised the work of the “hard working WHO secretariat team” and negotiators putting together the draft text.

Mr Butler described the initial agreement as a significant achievement and said now they needed to agree on a path forward to “finish the job”.

In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, global leaders proposed the global treaty to advance an all-of-government and all-of-society approach to prepare for future pandemics.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presented a copy of the text in a report on May 27 (pdf), using highlights green, yellow and white to differentiate areas that have been agreed, and those that have not.

The text that has not been agreed to, in white, includes a provision where WHO would receive up to 20 per cent of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for distribution during a pandemic emergency.

In addition, there is a provision where WHO would collaborate to establish no-fault compensation mechanisms for novel pandemic vaccines.

AGREEMENT

In a media release on May 28, WHO said that by the time the World Health Assembly ends on June 1, they aim to agree on the “timing, format and process” to conclude the pandemic agreement.

In addition, the World Health Assembly is working on amendments to the International Health Regulations 2005, which it hopes to finalise by June 1.

The regulations detail rules on vaccines, quarantine, international travel and health documents in the event of a pandemic (pdf).

For example, it states a traveller with a vaccine certificate shall not be denied entry as a consequence of a disease unless the authority has evidence the vaccination was not effective.

Among text that has been agreed to, it states no vaccine can be carried out on travellers without their consent.

However, if there is a public health risk and the traveller does not provide consent, a State party to the agreement may deny entry to that traveller.

Australia drafted a resolution for the 77th World Health Assembly, requesting the Director General to convene a special session of the World Health Assembly before the end of 2024 to consider an updated Intergovernmental Negotiating Body Draft (pdf).

Mr Butler explained that Mr Ghebreyesus had urged negotiators to use the assembly to re-engergise and recalibrate the process, adding, “that is what we intend to do”.

“That is why Australia worked with a cross-regional group over the weekend and yesterday, to table a draft decision reflecting the available options to finalise the agreement,” he said.

Mr Butler told the assembly this was an incredibly important decision that needs to be made together.

“We very much look forward to finding consensus in the next drafting group proposed by the chair, so that the path to finalise the pandemic agreement is clear,” he said.

“Now is the time to redouble our efforts to resolve the remaining challenges and deliver on this historic opportunity to achieve better health outcomes for all in responding to future pandemics and public health emergencies.

“Australia stands ready to deliver on this ambition. We cannot afford to fail.”