Move Pandemic Talks Out of Geneva for True Equity, says AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) calls for relocating the ongoing Pandemic Agreement negotiations out of Geneva, Switzerland. Citing concerns over transparency, accessibility, and inclusiveness, AHF advocates for a more globally inclusive venue that ensures equitable participation from all countries, particularly of the Global South.

This week, at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA), there has been no consensus on seventeen articles of the Agreement, with a notable impasse on the critical issues of equity and financing. Yesterday, Bolivia, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic advocated for a more inclusive approach that better integrates smaller delegations into the negotiating process. Brazil also highlighted the need for a more transparent process with the active involvement of relevant stakeholders.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO, was recently quoted: “Let the spirit of Geneva – the spirit of cooperation, mutual respect, and shared responsibility – guide your deliberations as you work towards finalizing the agreement by the set deadline in May this year.”

“Evidently the so-called ‘spirit of Geneva’ failed because it is not the spirit of the developing countries where 81% of the population of the world lives,” said Dr. Penninah Iutung, AHF Africa Bureau Chief. “What we need is the spirit of Addis Ababa, or the spirit of Nairobi, Johannesburg, New Delhi, Jakarta or perhaps Sao Paulo, cities that can truly represent the will and commitment of the developing world to achieving equity in the pandemic agreement. Geneva is one of the world's most developed and expensive cities, how can a spirit nurtured there be sensitive to what happened in developing countries during the worst times of the Covid-19 pandemic?”

For the upcoming meetings of the Pandemic Accord negotiation process, AHF calls for the relocation of the negotiations from Switzerland to a developing country. This will show a new spirit, the spirit of equity and solidarity that is needed for a successful pandemic agreement.

We emphasize that the success of the Pandemic Agreement depends on the genuine and active participation of Member States and the meaningful inclusion of relevant stakeholders, including civil society and communities.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 2 million clients in 46 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare

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