Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques
20 June 2022
Virginia Crawford
By email:
[FYI request #19413 email]
Ref:
ALOIA205
Tēnā koe Virginia
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 20 May
2022. You specifically requested:
“Could you please indicate whether the New Zealand government has agreed (or is
planning to agree) to the following:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is negotiating a global pandemic treaty and
considering amendments to its International Health Regulations (IHR)”.
Member States of the WHO, including New Zealand, jointly agreed to begin negotiating a
new treaty (or instrument) at a special session of the World Health Assembly in November
2021. A pandemic treaty or instrument was a key recommendation of the Independent Panel
for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, to help improve the global community’s ability to
respond to future pandemics. Please refer to the following link for information relating to the
Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response at:
www.theindependentpanel.org/about-the-independent-panel/.
Member States drive this treaty-making process, and it is up to governments to jointly
determine what actions wil be required to better prevent, prepare and respond to a future
pandemic. The negotiation is being taken forward through an Intergovernmental Negotiating
Body or INB, open to all Member States, including New Zealand. If you are interested in
learning more about the work of the INB, you can access further information at:
www.who.int/newsroom/events/detail/2021/11/29/default-calendar/second-special-session-
of-the-world-healthassembly.
It is important to note that negotiations remain at an early stage and the exact form of the
instrument is yet to be decided. Governments wil be working towards an outcome by the
77th World Health Assembly in 2024:
www.who.int/about/governance/world-health-assembly.
If Member States agree to proceed with a legally binding instrument (for example, a treaty),
standard New Zealand treaty-making process, including a cabinet mandate and
parliamentary treaty examination wil be required.
I note your query regarding amendments to the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR).
Ensuring the IHR remain fit for purpose and protected as a vital part of our global health
architecture is a priority for New Zealand. The initial amendments you refer to were put
forward by the United States in its capacity as a WHO Member State for all other Member
States’ consideration, earlier this year. The proposed amendments were further discussed at
the 75th World Health Assembly in late May this year, under an agenda item dealing with
‘public health emergencies: preparedness and response’. At the Assembly, New Zealand
shared its views along with other Member States, and together they reached consensus on
specific amendments to IHR 2005 Article 59.3. These were subsequently adopted by the
Assembly on the basis of consensus.
You may also be interested to know that the Ministry of Health is proactively releasing joint
advice produced with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that relates to negotiations
towards a new pandemic treaty or instrument in the coming weeks. This information wil be
published at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/general-information-
releases.
I trust this fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the
Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at: [email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Hon Andrew Little
Minister of Health
Document Outline
