The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called on the European Union to work more closely with African countries to adopt the World Health Organisation (WHO) pandemic agreement.
The WHO pandemic agreement is a proposed global treaty designed to help countries better prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics. It emerged from lessons learned during COVID-19, particularly the unequal access to vaccines, treatments and diagnostics.
The agreement aims to strengthen international cooperation by setting rules on information sharing, early warning systems, and the fair distribution of medical resources during health emergencies.
A key part of the deal is ensuring that countries which share pathogen samples and data also benefit from the resulting scientific advances, making global responses more coordinated and equitable.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ conference in Abuja on Tuesday, AHF said the agreement cannot be ratified until negotiations are concluded on the pathogen access and benefit sharing (PABS) annex.
The annex is expected to define how countries share pathogen samples and genetic data used in developing vaccines, diagnostics and treatments, as well as how the benefits from these innovations are distributed globally.
Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria country Pprogramme director, said negotiations have reached a critical stage, warning that disagreements, particularly from some European Union member states, could undermine the process.
“Negotiations are at a critical juncture, but major EU powers are resisting binding equity provisions. Time is running out because the PABS Annex is expected to have its final round of negotiations at the end of March 2026, and failure to reach agreement could force a weakened compromise or delay the pandemic agreement’s ratification,” he said.
Ijezie said the outcome of the talks would shape how fairly future global health emergencies are managed, compared to the COVID-19.
He also said there was a need to include civil society organisations in the process to ensure transparency and accountability, adding that the framework must promote equitable access rather than favour more powerful countries.
“We demand cooperation without extraction and agreement with equity, while mandatory benefits must be meaningful, with equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments, non-exclusive licenses, and relevant technology transfer for manufacturers in developing regions during major health emergencies, alongside annual financial contributions,” he said.
Several countries, including Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, Namibia, Indonesia and Nigeria, are pushing for binding equity provisions in the agreement.
While Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg have expressed support, others such as the broader European Union, Switzerland, Japan and Australia are reportedly opposed to making such provisions mandatory.
