Two Years of COVID-19: Reforming Multilateralism to Support Pandemic Policy Responses

With the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic approaching, the global pandemic response is marred by gridlock. The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 12th Ministerial Conference has been postponed twice, with no definite date set. A proposed waiver of its intellectual property rights that would allow widespread production of COVID-19 vaccines has stalled. The World Health Organization has struggled after years of funding cuts and competing agendas of different member states.

The pandemic has engendered go-it-alone policies by many governments and revealed a multilateral system that is no longer fit for purpose. To assess the extent and nature of the problems, a recent report by the Boston University Global Development Policy Center examines how national pandemic policy interventions interacted with international trade and investments treaties. The study found the constraints of multilateral rules contributed to worsening health policies and ran counter to measures to stabilize economies.

Given these findings, how should international rules be reformed to support, rather than constrain, public health? What reforms are needed at the multilateral level, at institutions like the WTO and the International Monetary Fund? And should government actions to support human well-being, social equity and the environment be seen as of a higher order than commercial protections and, as such, exempt from challenges under global agreements?

On Tuesday, March 1, 9:30-10:30 AM ET // 15:30-16:30 CET, join the Boston University Global Development Policy Center for a webinar discussion and report launch on reforming multilateralism to support pandemic policy responses.

Speakers:

• Rachel Thrasher: Researcher, Boston University Global Development Policy Center; Author, ‘Constraining Development: The Shrinking of Policy Space in the International Trade Regime’

• Sandra Polaski: Non-Resident Senior Research Scholar, Boston University Global Development Policy Center; Former Deputy Director-General for Policy, International Labour Organization

• Ronald Labonté: Professor, Canada Research Chair in Contemporary Globalization and Health Equity, University of Ottawa

• Carlos Correa: Executive Director, South Centre

• Veronika Wirtz (Moderator): Professor, Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health; Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Pharmaceutical Policy