NSA’s WHASS2 – English

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refer to: GBS W3/87/1(WHASS2)
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The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) presents his compliments
to the non-State actors in official relations with WHO and has the honour to refer to
decision WHA74(16) which requests the Director-General to convene a special session of the
World Health Assembly in November 2021, and to include on the agenda of the special session
only one item, dedicated to considering the benefits of developing a WHO convention,
agreement or other international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response with a view
towards the establishment of an intergovernmental process to draft and negotiate such a
convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response,
taking into account the report of the Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and
Response to Health Emergencies.
The second special session of the World Health Assembly will open at 10:00 (CET)
on 29 November and close no later than 1 December 2021.
In light of the current global situation, and following a decision taken by the Executive
Board through a written silence procedure, the special session of the World Health Assembly
will be held using a hybrid format. In this regard, up to two delegation members from each
Member State may be physically present at WHO headquarters (either in the meeting room or in
an overflow room); other members of Member State delegations, as well as delegations of
Observers, the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations, and non-State actors
in official relations with WHO may participate through the virtual meeting platform. Details for
accessing the virtual platform will be provided following completion of the registration process.
Registration can be initiated as of 15 November 2021 by going to the following link:
https://extranet.who.int/bpmext/meetingregistration.aspx., using the following username:
whauser, and password: V>e%xu=sa@070D0C9F99.
Instructions for online registration are available for downloading from the Governance
website (https://apps.who.int/gb/gov/en/registration_en.html).
The provisional agenda for the second special Health Assembly is available in document
SSA2/1 (draft) (https://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_whassa2.html).
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WHASS2/NSA
Documents for the second special session of the Health Assembly can be accessed on the
Internet through the WHO website (https://apps.who.int/gb/gov/), as they become available.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization takes this opportunity to renew to
the non-State actors in official relations with WHO the assurance of his highest consideration.
GENEVA, 16 November 2021
REGISTRATION
Online registration is required for both the Executive Board and the World Health
Assembly and the online registration system will be available as of 15 November 2021.
Before each meeting, an invitation will be sent to Member States indicating a link to
access the electronic Governing Bodies Meeting Registration System in order to register one
Focal Point at the Permanent Mission in Geneva, who will be responsible for registering the
delegation. Member States without a Permanent Mission in Geneva should designate a Focal
Point in the capital. The same process will apply to all categories of invited participants (the
United Nations, Observers, Intergovernmental Organizations and non-State actors in official
relations with WHO).
Once a Focal Point has been entered into the registration system, he/she will receive by
email a unique username and password, and the link to access the registration system.
The Focal Point will register and submit the names and titles of the delegates and attach a
note verbale (credential) containing the composition of the delegation.
The WHO Office of Governing Bodies will verify the information received from the
Focal Point, which will then be submitted into the registration system to generate the List of
Participants and send the log in details to access the virtual meeting.
WHASS2/ENCL./1
WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
SECOND SPECIAL SESSION SSA2/1 (draft)
Geneva, Switzerland
29 November–1 December 2021
12 October 2021
Draft provisional agenda
PLENARY
1. Opening of the Health Assembly1
1.1 Adoption of the agenda and timetable
Documents SSA2/1, SSA2/1 Add.1 and SSA2/2
1.2 Credentials
2. Consideration of the benefits of developing a WHO convention, agreement or other
international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response with a view towards the
establishment of an intergovernmental process to draft and negotiate such a convention,
agreement or other international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response,
taking into account the report of the Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness
and Response to Health Emergencies
Documents SSA2/3 and SSA2/4
3. Closure of the Health Assembly
= = =
1
During the opening of the second special session of the Health Assembly, Member States will also be invited to
consider the adoption of special procedures.