Seventh Meeting of the INB (one of 2)

The seventh meeting of the INB will be spread across two separate sessions – November (6-10) and December (4-6) “to allow the presentation of the draft Pandemic Agreement and for INB Members and relevant stakeholders to exchange views.” Two more rounds of meetings for 2024 are planned – the Eighth Meeting taking place from 19 February to 1 March) and the Ninth Meeting from 18 – 29 March 2024.

The seventh meeting of the INB (INB7)is scheduled for 6-10 November and is to be resumed on 4-6 December 2023, as proposed by the INB Bureau.

The meeting is scheduled to be held during the working hours of: 09:00-12:00 and 13:30-17:00 hours CET each day, in a hybrid format. The meeting will open on Monday 6 November at 09:00 hours and close on Wednesday 6 December 2023. In that regard, the two sessions are organized as one continuous meeting and an interim report is not envisaged on 10 November 2023.

1. In the promotion of continued transparency and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders that has guided the INB, the meeting will open through a plenary session on Monday 6 November 2023. At the plenary session, Member States and relevant stakeholders (per document A/INB/6/6) will be invited to consider the proposal for negotiating text (document A/INB/7/3). 

In line with previous practice and the promotion of transparency in the work of the INB, the Bureau proposes the following in terms of public webcasts and participation:

1. Discussions on Agenda Items 1 (Opening of the session and adoption of the agenda and programme of work), 5 (Report of the meeting) and 6 (Closure of the session) would be publicly webcast.
2. Agenda item 2 (Consideration and negotiation of the WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response:  Proposal for negotiating text of the WHO pandemic agreement) would be considered in two parts as follows:
3. Part one – consideration in plenary: Member States and relevant stakeholders will be invited to consider the proposal for negotiating text in a publicly webcast session.  In order for an efficient discussion at the plenary session, Member States are encouraged to provide regional/group statements, as appropriate, noting that there will be opportunity for further comments in the drafting group. Speaking times are proposed as follows: Regional/group statements – 3 minutes; national statements – 1.5 minutes; statements by relevant stakeholders – 1.5 minutes.

• Written statements by relevant stakeholders:  Mindful of A/INB/6/6 (modalities of engagement for relevant stakeholders), pursuant to which relevant stakeholders may be “invited to provide inputs to the INB (via an electronic portal, an open ‘hearing’, and/or a segment of a session)”, the Bureau proposes that relevant stakeholders be invited to provide written statements, of not more than 500 words, regarding the negotiating text, for reference by members of the INB as they deem appropriate.  It is understood that such inputs will be posted on the WHO website for a limited duration and in accordance with WHO standards, practices, and principles of propriety.

1. Part two – consideration in drafting group: As previously agreed by the INB, consideration of Agenda Item 2 during the drafting group would be in a closed session open to Member States, Associate Members, REIOs, as appropriate, and the observer delegations of Palestine and the Holy See, and would not be publicly webcast. The drafting group will be invited to consider the proposal for negotiating text, Article by Article, starting from Chapter I (Introduction).

Agenda Items 3 (Next steps) and 4 (Proposals from Member States of entities to be included in Annex D and/or Annex E of document A/INB/6/6 (if any)) would not be publicly webcast and will have the participation of INB Members only (i.e. Member States, Associate Members, and regional economic integration organizations).

Agenda Item 5 (Report of the meeting) would be publicly webcast, and relevant stakeholders would be invited to observe the discussions.

Regarding proposals from Member States of entities to be included in Annex D/E of document A/INB/6/6, the Bureau would appreciate to receive any proposals in advance of the consideration of agenda item 4 (Proposals from Member States of entities to be included in Annex D and/or Annex E of document A/INB/6/6 (if any).