Overview

• The World Health Organization's 194 member states have reached an agreement in principle on a legally binding pandemic treaty after marathon negotiations lasting three years.
• The treaty focuses on improving global pandemic preparedness, including provisions for equitable sharing of life-saving technologies like vaccines and therapeutics.
• Disputes remain over whether technology transfers should be mandatory or voluntary, with wealthy nations favoring voluntary terms and developing countries advocating for stronger commitments.
• The finalized treaty will be presented for ratification at the World Health Assembly in Geneva at the end of May, marking the next critical step in its adoption.
• The United States, under an executive order by President Donald Trump, withdrew from the WHO earlier this year, leaving it absent from the treaty negotiations.