"I welcome your commitment to hold the first meeting of the INB [intergovernmental negotiating body] no later than the first of March 2022, and to submit its outcome for consideration to the World Health Assembly in 2024. And I give you my commitment that the Secretariat will support this process," Tedros said at the end of the WHO assembly special session.
He also expressed his support for the the decision to establish a negotiating body to discuss a WHO convention on the COVID-19 pandemic response.
"I welcome the decision you have adopted today, to establish an intergovernmental negotiating body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response," Tedros said.