Although the main Agreement was adopted in May 2025, it cannot enter into force or be opened for signature until the contentious Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (“PABS”) annex is finalised. Until then, the treaty remains incomplete. Due to disagreements on PABS, instead of meeting the target deadline at the 79th World Health Assembly in May 2026, the deadline for completion has been pushed to the 2027 World Health Assembly.
The African states have correctly identified that WHO is attempting to impose centralised control reminiscent of the colonial era.
WHO is prioritising the interests of its major financial sponsors, such as Bill Gates and pharmaceutical corporations, over the needs of low-income countries and populations. It has become a tool for wealthy donors and corporations, rather than a legitimate public health agency.
“The United States withdrawal from the WHO offers an opportunity, but it is the low-income countries on the receiving end of the WHO’s capture that need to drive change. The pushback on the Pandemic Agreement suggests that this may be happening,” David Bell writes...<<<Read More>>>....
