Statement by the Executive Secretary of Medicus Mundi International – Network Health for All at the resumed fifth meeting on the WHO Intergovenmental Negotiating Body, on 12 June 2023

Thank you, chair.

We welcome and endorse the statements by ILO and PSI on protecting and promoting the rights of health and care workers (see also here), by OHCHR on human rights, and by G2H2 on safeguards, pandemic prevention and financial justice.

We will focus our own contribution on article 19 of the Bureau’s Text, on financing. Doing so, we also refer to the G2H2 report on “Financial Justice for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response” published in November 2022 to which we contributed.

It is important to recognize that Financing of Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response is not about rich countries supporting poorer ones “as they deem appropriate”. Pandemic PPR capacity is a global common good that necessitates shared responsibility and international cooperation on equal ground.

Fair-share funding arrangements can help distribute the financial burden proportionally, according to countries’ means, so that all contribute and benefit fairly and equitably. It is disappointing to see that the option of all countries allocating a percentage of GDP for international cooperation and mutual assistance has disappeared in the Bureau’s Text.

We welcome the extension of Article 19, including sub-item 3.a.1, whereby we call for the annual contributions to be made by the Parties to be in proportion to – rather than within –  their respective means.

But financial justice needs more than this: To finance Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response sustainably and fairly, we must reimagine the international financial landscape. This involves addressing debt-burdens, curbing illicit financial flows, and promoting global tax justice to undo historic injustices and unlock much-needed domestic public resources.

We therefore welcome the proposed option A for paragraph 6 of Article 19 including mechanisms regarding debt. Debt cancellation and ending illicit financial flows would allow all countries to regain financial sovereignty and the freedom to decide on investments in health and social protection.

Thanks for your attention. And thanks to our member organization Wemos for helping us to draft this statement.

Thomas Schwarz, Executive Secretary
Medicus Mundi International Network

Statement as read out.
Reference and recording: INB documentation (session 2)
Download statement as PDF: here