
TIMELINE OF EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN GLOBAL PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE IN LIGHT OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS
The Governing Pandemics Timeline tracks efforts to strengthen global pandemic preparedness and response in light of the COVID-19 crisis.
The overall timeline includes specific timelines for both the Pandemic Treaty (INB) and International Health Regulations Amendments processes since March 2020.
ACRONYMS
EB | World Health Organization Executive Board
INB | Intergovernmental Negotiating Body
IHR | International Health Regulations
IHR RC | International Health Regulations Review Committee
WGIHR | Working Group on IHR Amendments
WGPR | Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies
WHA | World Health Assembly
WHO | World Health Organization
UPCOMING
​DECEMBER 2023​
-
4-6 December: Seventh meeting of the INB
-
7-8 December: Sixth meeting of the WGIHR
​
FEBRUARY 2024
-
5–9 February 2024: Seventh meeting of the WGIHR
-
19 February-1 March: Eighth meeting of the INB and continuation of the drafting group
PAST
NOVEMBER 2023
-
6-10 November: Seventh meeting of the INB and continuation of the drafting group
​
OCTOBER 2023
-
2-6 October: Fifth meeting of the WGIHR (Report)
​
SEPTEMBER 2023
-
4-6 & 22 September: Intergovernmental Negotiating Body Drafting Group meeting (Interim report, final report)
-
20 September: UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (Political Declaration, final text as of 1 September 2023)
​
JULY 2023
-
17-21 July: Sixth meeting of the INB and continuation of meetings of the drafting group (Final report available here)
-
21 and 24 July: Joint plenary meetings of the INB/WGIHR
-
24-28 July: Fourth meeting of the WGIHR (Final report available here)
​
JUNE 12-16, 2023: INB 5 Resumed Session
-
The resumed session of the fifth meeting of the INB was held from 12-16 June 2023 in a hybrid format.
-
According to the report of the meeting, the INB adopted Bureau’s text as a basis for further work after Member States and relevant stakeholders provided general comments in the opening plenary session of the meeting.
-
The Drafting Group discussed Articles 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. The meeting agreed to consider the articles through informal meetings of the drafting group, and two informal meetings on Article 9 were held on the sidelines of the meeting.
-
The INB agreed to hold intersessional informal meetings in advance of the INB 6 on Articles 9, 12, and 13.
-
It was noted that a joint plenary session of the INB and WGIHR would be held on 21 and 24 of July 2023.
​
JUNE 5, 2023: UNGA High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
-
The Zero Draft of the Political Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response was released.
​
MAY 24, 2023: INB
-
The draft Bureau's text of the WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (“WHO CA+”) was released.
​
MAY 21-30, 2023: Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly
​
MAY 8-9, 2023: Multi-stakeholder Hearing on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (New York)
-
The United Nations organized an interactive multi-stakeholder hearing on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in preparation for the High-Level Meeting (HLM) on the same topic that will be held on September 20, 2023 in New York (concept note and program).
-
The hearing aimed to gather views from all stakeholders and to identify urgent actions and investments needed in all sectors to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. It also aimed to identify how the political declaration of the HLM can provide political support to the ongoing processes in Geneva and bring focus to the multi-sectoral nature of pandemics.
-
The Geneva Graduate Institute's Global Health Centre participated in the event and delivered a statement, which can be found here.
​
​