How to Save the Pandemic Treaty
As countries cavil over specific clauses in a draft pandemic treaty, there is good reason to fear that the document will be whittled down so much that it becomes useless. To ensure success, negotiators must heed the lessons of the COVID-19 crisis, and stay focused on the overarching goal: preventing or minimizing outbreaks.
LONDON – Recent drafts of a global pandemic treaty have been widely criticized as “shameful and unjust.” When the latest round of negotiations opened on March 18, it was clear that a key lesson of the COVID-19 pandemic was being ignored: public health and the health of the economy are interdependent.