The World Health Organization and the challenge of sharing administrative powers

Abstract

The WHO’s management of the pandemic has drawn sharp criticism. It has been suggested that there is an urgent need for a reform providing more intrusive administrative powers. By contrast, this paper argues that the WHO needs sharing powers rather than intrusive powers. Given that the main international norms have arguably designed the WHO as a “non-authoritarian” authority aiming at the highest possible level of health of individuals, the paper suggests that the sharing of administrative powers be incentivised through the participation in proceedings of all institutional actors involved in emergency management.