The World Health Assembly (WHA) today recognized the progress made over the past two years by Member States to develop a pandemic agreement and strengthen the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005). Governments meeting in Geneva for the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly are in talks to advance these two efforts, which aim to boost the world’s ability to better able to prevent and respond to the threat of future pandemics.

WHO Member States agreed to continue to work during the World Health Assembly, which ends on 1 June, with the aim to:

• finalize the package of amendments to the IHR (2005)
• agree the timing, format and process to conclude the pandemic agreement.