WHO agrees legally binding pandemic treaty

BBC:

Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed the text of a legally binding treaty designed to better tackle future pandemics.

The pact is meant to avoid the disorganisation and competition for resources seen during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Key elements include the rapid sharing of data about new diseases, to ensure scientists and pharmaceutical companies can work more quickly to develop treatments and vaccines.

For the first time, the WHO itself will also have an overview of global supply chains for masks, medical gowns and other personal protective equipment (PPE).

WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the deal as “a significant milestone in our shared journey towards a safer world”.

“[Member states] have also demonstrated that multilateralism is alive and well, and that in our divided world, nations can still work together to find common ground, and a shared response to shared threats,” he said.