Philippine Mission in Geneva Hosts Ambassadors Meeting of Group for Equity

Permanent Representatives and Experts of the Group for Equity at the Philippine Permanent Mission following their 1st Meeting for the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Pandemic Agreement on 16 July 2025. 

GENEVA 24 July 2025 — The Philippine Mission to the United Nations and other  International Organizations in Geneva hosted an Ambassadors Meeting of the Group  for Equity on the Pandemic Agreement on 16 June 2025. The Group, composed of  more than 30 developing countries across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Americas,  played a pivotal role in the adoption of the Pandemic Agreement during the 78th World  Health Assembly last May, which was presided by Philippine Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa.  

The meeting was held in preparation for the negotiations on the Annex of the  Pandemic Agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) System — a critical component that must be finalized before the Agreement can enter into force. The Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) held its inaugural organizational  session on 09 to 10 July 2025 and is expected to complete its work ahead of the 79th World  Health Assembly in May 2026. 

“Our counterparts from developed countries are very coordinated so we have our work  cut out for us”, said Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta, who chaired the meeting. “We  should continue our constructive collaboration to ensure that the PABS Annex will  result in equitable outcomes and the Pandemic Agreement can enter into force as  soon as possible.” 

The Group agreed to work together on a joint proposal that would advance the  interests of developing countries in the PABS Annex negotiations. The PABS is considered as the heart of the Pandemic Agreement and will allow for Parties to receive a portion of vaccines, therapeutics and countermeasures in exchange for  sharing pathogens necessary to develop these pandemic countermeasures. 

The Group for Equity was launched during the 5th round of negotiations on the  Pandemic Agreement in June 2023 and continues to advocate for a just, fair, and  inclusive global response to pandemics and public health emergencies by drawing on  hard-earned lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. END 

For more information, visit https://www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph,  https://www.facebook.com/PHinGeneva/ or https://www.instagram.com/phingeneva/.