World Health Organization members vote in favour of global pandemic agreement

Members of the World Health Organization voted emphatically in favour of a potentially groundbreaking global treaty on improving pandemic preparedness at the World Health Assembly.

One hundred twenty-four countries voted in favour, after Slovakia called for a vote on Monday, as its COVID-19 vaccine sceptic prime minister demanded that his country challenge the adoption of the agreement.

No countries voted against, while 11 countries, including Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Slovakia and Iran abstained.