European Union

Statement

WHO

153^rd Executive Board

(31 May-1 June 2023)

________

Item 1 – Election of Chair, Vice-Chairs and Rapporteur

________

Geneva, 30 May 2023

Chair,

Director General,

Excellencies,

Colleagues,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina[1] as well as the potential candidate country Georgia align themselves with this statement.

Let me start by congratulating and welcoming the newly elected Chair, [title/name], as well as the four Vice-Chairs and the Rapporteur. The Bureau of the Executive Board holds a vital role in steering the EB to provide effective and strategic guidance to the Secretariat and the Health Assembly as well as in giving effect to the decisions of the Health Assembly.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing Bureau members, with a particular appreciation for the outgoing Chair from Slovenia, Dr. Vesna Petric, for leading and guiding the Board effectively through two dense but successful board meetings as well as the EB-retreat this year.

We appreciate Dr. Vesna’s efforts to strengthen the governance of WHO through concrete measures to make the discussions of the EB more agile and strategic, and we encourage the new Bureau to continue these initiatives.

The EU and its Member States stand ready to support and engage constructively in the important work of the Bureau and the Board.

Thank you.

[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process