GS Paper III
News Excerpt
Countries have finished the seventh round of deliberations on the pandemic accord. However, delegates failed to reach a consensus on intellectual property rights and relaxing patents.
More details on news:
- The deliberations aimed to strengthen international cooperation and address issues related to equitable vaccine distribution, particularly contentious topics like intellectual property rights (IPR) and patents.
- Despite reaching an impasse, the deliberations concluded without a consensus on relaxing patents and IPR, hindering progress on ensuring fair access to medical products during emergencies.
- The United States maintained its position in favor of protecting intellectual property rights, arguing that canceling them would not improve access for poorer countries during crises.
- South Africa and India, supported by 100 countries, had proposed a waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines and antivirals for at least three years, but the proposal was rejected by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- The international health regulation (IHR) was criticised for being ineffective during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Developing countries emphasize the need for the equitable access to medical products.
- Namibia's equity stance of representative at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) highlighted tensions between richer and poorer nations during the deliberations.
Future aspects related to deliberations
- Future deliberations may focus on resolving disagreements on intellectual property, ensuring equitable vaccine access, refining the pandemic treaty draft, and establishing effective governance for access and benefit-sharing systems.
