In December 2021, the World Health Assembly established an intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) to draft and negotiate a convention, agreement or other international instrument under the Constitution of the World Health Organization to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
The fourth meeting of the INB (INB4) will take place from 27 February - 3 March 2023. At this meeting, the INB will consider the Zero Draft of the instrument, developed by the Bureau of the INB following widespread consultation, and is expected to confirm whether the Zero Draft will be the basis of negotiations for a pandemic accord during INB4, and if so, to initiate an in-depth chapter-by-chapter discussion of the document. It is proposed that the discussion of the Zero Draft start at the INB4 and continue during the fifth meeting of the INB, to be held on 3-6 April 2023.
The INB will report on the process of the development of the Accord to the 76th World Health Assembly in May 2023.
During the first day of INB4, the INB will begin consideration of the Zero Draft as part of a plenary meeting, held in open session during a “first reading”. This "first reading" will be open to WHO Member States, Associate Members and regional economic integration organizations, as well all relevant stakeholders (as agreed by the INB, set out in document A/INB/3/5). It is expected that the INB will invite relevant stakeholders to provide their views on the Zero Draft during the first day of the meeting. In line with the ways of working (“Method of Work”) (A/INB/1/3 Rev. 1) agreed by the Member States at the first INB and decisions at the third meeting of the INB, the INB will then continue its consideration of the Zero Draft in a “drafting group”, with attendance limited to: WHO Member States, Associate Members, regional economic integration organizations, and the observer delegations of the Holy See and Palestine.
The plenary of INB4 meeting will be webcast on the WHO website from this page and archived for later viewing. A procedural report will be discussed on the last day (in a plenary meeting, which will be webcast) and subsequently posted on the governing bodies section of the WHO website.
Webcast