Britain has decided to reject a global vaccine treaty that the World Health Organization (W.H.O) is drafting due to concerns about giving away a fifth of its vaccines and surrendering sovereignty to the unelected U.N. subsidiary. According to a report from the Daily Telegraph, the draft pandemic accord suggests that richer countries should contribute 20 percent of tests, treatments, and vaccines to be distributed by the W.H.O. in poorer countries during emergencies at its discretion. The Department of Health and Social Care in the UK stated that they will only support the treaty if it aligns with the country’s national interest and respects national sovereignty.
Other countries have also expressed opposition to the proposed global pandemic treaty, with the House Freedom Caucus sending a letter urging President Biden to stand against the W.H.O.’s push for the treaty. The new pact, first proposed in 2021, aims to establish central control in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are disagreements over the issue of sharing drugs and vaccines. W.H.O. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is urging countries to agree to the accord to combat future pandemics.
In the UK, over 100,000 people signed a petition demanding a referendum on the Pandemic Treaty, calling for public input similar to the Brexit referendum in 2016. The petition, which has now surpassed 150,000 signatures, insists that the public should be informed about the implications of the treaty and given a vote before the UK government commits to it. As the petition reached the threshold for consideration, Parliament is required to debate the motion. Voters in the UK remain skeptical about ceding control to international organizations like the W.H.O. and are calling for transparency and public input on such important matters.
