Governments last week continued their detailed examination of a significant number of the over 300 proposed amendments to the WHO International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR). In this fourth round of intensive discussions, taking place under the aegis of the Working Group on Amendments to the IHR (WGIHR), the 196 State Parties to the IHR – which include WHO’s 194 Member States(1) - discussed proposed amendments related to the following topics:

• Responsible authorities - Article 4
• Notification, verification, and provision of information - Article 5 (paragraph 4 and new paragraphs 5). Articles 6-11, Annex 2 and new Annex 2
• Determination of public health emergency of international concern - Article 12
• The Emergency Committee - Articles 48, 49
• Temporary and standing recommendations - Articles 15, 16, 17, 18

The Working Group agreed that efforts should continue during the intersessional period as follows:

• discussions between proponents of various proposed amendments, with a view to presenting any outcomes to the drafting group for consideration; and
• intersessional briefings and facilitated informal consultations, in a hybrid format, open to all drafting group members, as well as joint intersessional work with the INB at dates and times to be announced, covering Articles and Annexes discussed during the fourth meeting of the WGIHR, including those that have been the subject of intersessional work. The outcomes of facilitated informal consultations are understood not to constitute agreed text, and will be translated and made available in advance of the next WGIHR meeting in October 2023.