Since the end of January, diplomatic business in Geneva has been running at full speed. The density of meetings was particularly high between the end of February and the beginning of April: this included a six-week session of the UN Human Rights Council in the course of which important mandates were extended. The speech by High Commissioner Volker Türk on the human rights situation worldwide was eagerly awaited. At the WHO, negotiations on a global pandemic agreement are gaining momentum: however, in light of the divergences between member states a conclusion by the 2024 World Health Assembly seems unrealistic. At the WTO, there is movement on several dossiers with a view to the Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi in ten months. However, observers warn against too high expectations. Financial constraints remain a major concern in the humanitarian sector.
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