Trade : IFDA is against WTO rules, says India (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
At a World Trade Organization General Council meeting held on 22-23 May, India reiterated that the controversial Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA) cannot be part of the WTO rule-book, even as the United States, without joining IFDA, supported i ts integration into Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement, said people familiar w ith the development.

WHO : WHA77 to weigh unfinished business of pandemic agreement, IHR talks (PRIV)
(Nithin Ramakrishnan, Geneva)
The 77th Session of the World Healt h Assembly (WHA77) that will take place this week will look into the unfinish ed business of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), which was develop ing a new pandemic instrument under the aegis of the WHO, and the Working Group on the Amendments to the International Health Regulations 2005 (WGIHR).

WHO : AU calls for WHA special session to finalise pandemic instrument (PRIV)
(TWN, Geneva)
The Health Minsters of the African Union (AU) member states have called for the continuation of the negotiations on a pan demic instrument and to hold a special session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) before the end of 2024 to finalise it.

WHO : Concerns over fragmentation of the health emergency regime (PRIV)
(K M Gopakumar, Geneva)
The pandemic instrument as a treaty under Article 19 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Constitution raises conce rns over the fragmentation of the health emergency regime, which the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) has not taken up for discussion.

WIPO : US-led North countries push to control genetic resources & TK treaty (PRIV)
(K M Gopakumar and Chetali Rao, Geneva)
Developed countries imposed their will to conclude the treaty on intellectual property (IP), ge netic resources and associated traditional knowledge (GRATK) at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).