India, July 13 -- WHO Member States have held their first meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement, formalizing next steps on implementing key provisions of the historic legal instrument to make the world safer from future pandemics.

Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil, co-chair of the IGWG Bureau guiding the negotiations, said the first meeting, that ran from 9-10 July, was a critical moment in the global effort to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. It followed the World Health Assembly's landmark adoption on 20 May 2025 of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

"Through the WHO Pandemic Agreement, countries recognized that global collaboration and action, based on equity, a...