The Guardian view on the WHO pandemic treaty: the west's fantasy negotiations have put the world at risk | Editorial

"Countries in the global south are keenly aware that the established order let them down. They received vaccines later, in smaller numbers and often at a higher price than rich countries, resulting in avoidable death and suffering, and extended economic malaise. Last week, a coalition of those countries made their displeasure known by continuing to stonewall negotiations on the vaunted pandemic preparedness treaty of the World Health Organization (WHO), sending a clear message that when the next crisis arrives, they will not accept the same status quo."

"In broad terms, countries in the global north want global south states to share information on any new pathogens their scientists encounter. (Research shows that the next pandemic is most likely to emerge from their region.) In return, those countries have organised to demand that global north states and pharmaceutical companies be required to share treatments, including vaccines, developed from that information a quid pro quo that western states would prefer to keep voluntary."

"The fact that this sounds like technocratic haggling in what is in effect an annex of the main treaty belies its importance. Vaccine equity is a long-held red line for these global south groups. The larger treaty cannot be ratified without agreement on this issue. Europe has been the greatest champion of this process."

"Ordinarily that would be commendable. But shortly after negotiations began in 2021, global health scholars warned that no agreement would be possible without addressing the concerns of the global south. This is entirely reasonable: an international pandemic response must mean"

The Covid-19 pandemic caused deep, lasting damage to the international political system. Global south countries view the established order as having failed them through delayed vaccine access, smaller quantities, and higher prices, leading to avoidable deaths and prolonged economic harm. A coalition of these countries has continued to block negotiations on a WHO pandemic preparedness treaty, signaling rejection of the prior status quo. An international treaty is needed, but negotiations have stalled because western backers, especially in Europe, have treated the plan as inevitable while not resolving a core political impasse. Global north states want global south states to share pathogen information, while global south states demand that global north states and pharmaceutical companies share treatments, including vaccines, developed from that information. Vaccine equity is a red line and the treaty cannot be ratified without agreement on it.

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