Africa wants debt swaps to support countries’ defenses against pandemics – Health Policy Watch

African leaders want explicit commitments to debt relief and debt restructuring mechanisms, including debt swaps to support country-level pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) in the pandemic agreement.

This is one of the demands of the continents, made on the eve of the talks on the pandemic agreement of the World Health Organization (WHO), after a high-level meeting of African health ministers and diplomats on Saturday .

At the meeting, a key African Union (AU) leader warned against postponing the adoption of a pandemic deal, saying it might never be approved.

Pandemic deal negotiations entered their final two-week phase in Geneva on Monday with a May 10 deadline for what observers describe as an essential instrument, a core text that will be fleshed out with further talks in the next two years, as reported recently by Health Policy Watch.

The first statement from Saturday’s meeting of African leaders was withdrawn within hours of its publication.

The new statement published Monday was identical, except it removed a reference to the Pandemic Fund in its call for an international financing mechanism to support countries’ pandemic testing efforts.

He also wants the accelerated operation of the financing of the African Fund for Epidemics.

PABS support

The continent supports a multilateral Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System (PABS) that provides legal certainty to users and providers and ensures better access to pandemic-related health products and technologies.

The draft agreement proposes a WHO-coordinated PABS system, but the operational details of this contested proposal must be finalized by May 2026.

Africa also wants measures to establish regionally distributed production of pandemic-related health products and commitments to organize and provide technical support in all equity-related provisions.

Pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) demands are largely linked to national and regional responsibilities, with measures such as the enactment of national laws providing for broad exemptions and limitations on intellectual property to deal with public health emergencies and supply chain diversification and logistical rationalization. throughout the continent.

Africa also wants the agreement’s various WHO-coordinated mechanisms, such as research and development and technology transfer, to be operational and answerable to the Conference of the Parties, a multinational structure that will govern the agreement.

Africa is ready to play its part and comments to actively participate in the ongoing negotiations and the completion of the draft pandemic agreement, the statement concludes.

AU authorization warns against postponement

I don’t think it’s in our best interest to postpone an agreement because we can postpone forever. I hope that today we consolidate our common position, consolidate our negotiating positions and ensure that Africa’s interests are represented in the negotiations for the global agreement on the pandemic, said AU Vice President Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, during the opening of the ministerial meeting.

He also urged pragmatism when addressing Saturday’s meeting, explaining that several African demands, such as a seat at the G20, had taken years to achieve.

In some situations, we don’t even have a choice because we have to remain pragmatic while looking for all the conditions that allow us some equity and some

flexibilities and favorable conditions for us to do what we have to do for ourselves, he said.

He also warned of the likelihood of another COVID-like pandemic in the not-so-distant future, adding that it is crucial that we work together to strengthen our collective preparedness and ensure that Africa’s voice is heard in discussions about global health.

While Africa’s negotiators wanted a win-win situation, there is always give and take in negotiations, said Nsanzabaganwa, who is from Rwanda.

We also have a duty to continue to push for multilateralism to work.

Meanwhile, Zambian Health Minister Sylvia Masebo, who chairs the Africa CDC board, called on African negotiators to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related health products and greater access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, ensuring that no one is left behind. behind

CDC Director General for Africa Dr Jean Kaseya said unity and a common African position in the negotiations was key.