After three years of negotiations adopted the first world pandemic agreement. But Italy has abstained: what does it mean, from a practical point of view?
The Commission of the World Health Assembly, legislative organ of the World Health Organization (WHO) has formally adopted The global pandemic agreementa world alliance created to strengthen the response to future pandemics, taking advantage of the experience and errors of Covid-19. The “yes” passed with the votes in favor of 124 countries, no vote against e 11 abstentionsamong which Italy stands out.
The official reasons for Italian abstention
To refrain from a historical decision, which should make the world safer from future pandemics and guarantee A more fair, rapid, coordinated and based on science reaction In addition to Italy, Russia, Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Jamaica, Israel, Romania, Paraguay, Guatemala and Slovakia have been. The motivations of abstention concern, in the words of the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci, the will of Italy to “reiterate its position regarding the need to reaffirm the sovereignty of states in the management of public health issues”.
A point that, however, is already explicitly clarified by the agreement, deliberately cautiously on the issue for diplomatic needs and to increase adhesion to such an expected and necessary plan.
In fact, we read in the approved document that “nothing in the Pandemic Agreement of the WHO must be interpreted in the sense of conferring the WHO secretariat, including the general manager, no authority to direct, order, modify or otherwise prescribe national and/or internal legislation, depending on the case, or the policies of any part, or to make mandatory or otherwise impose any requirement for the parties to take specific actions, such as prohibiting or accepting travelers, Vaccination or therapeutic or diagnostic measures or implement Lockdown ».
In short, it is excluded that the World Health Organization may impose specific measures as limitations on movements, vaccination or lockdown obligations, Measures feared by no-vax movementswhich will be established by the national authorities.
What does not have joined?
Italy has “accepted” the principle of respect for the national authorities inserted by WHO in the agreement and believes “that the agreement must be implemented in full compliance with the principles of proportionality and protection of fundamental rights, including the protection of personal data and individual freedoms. In compliance with these principles, Italy looks with interest in the continuation of work with the other WHO Member States to define the issues still open which, in our opinion, deserve further insights “.
A position, the Italian one, which denotes a line of prudence towards the agreement, which takes the first steps in a situation of economic uncertainty after the void, financial and leadership, left by the release of the United States by WHO.
The Treaty however it will not immediately enter into force And abstention seems to report more a political line marked by coldness than a de facto refusal. The abstention of Italy is known by ministerial sources, It is not a vote againstand it is aimed at highlighting the most controversial points of the agreement with the aim of improving it.
Among the points still to be negotiated there are The details of the PABS system (Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing – to learn more), a mechanism for which the poor countries of resources guarantee the rapid sharing of genetic data and pathogens samples in exchange for guarantees on equitable sharing of vaccines and drugs, with shares still to be defined.
After the annexation of this part, that destined to create more debate, The treaty will be open to parliamentary ratification by the individual states. To enter into force, he will have to reach at least 60 ratifications.
What we would lose in case of non -ratification
The retailer in 35 articles The principles and tools for prevention, preparation and response to pandemics: the approach One Health (the intimate relationship between man’s health, animals and environment) For the first time inserted in a legally binding treatise; the promotion of the production on site of vaccines and medical instruments; development of research and technology transfer capacity; possibility of moving specialized personnel between various countries; Establishment of a global logistics and supply network managed by WHO.
In the elaboration of his national pandemic plan (still in draft and waiting for approval) for the next five years, Italy is strongly based on the same principles expressed by WHO that have inspired the global pandemic agreement. For those involved in prevention and surveillance on the field from the “technical” point of view, in short, the question does not admit hestery dictated by pure political convenience.
