WHA79 - Cross-regional Statement - Item 20.1 – Reform of the global health architecture and the UN80 Initiative
WHO
79th World Health Assembly
Item 20.1 – Reform of the global health architecture and the UN80 Initiative
Cross-regional Statement
Chair,
Director General,
Excellencies,
Colleagues,
I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following countries:
Albania, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
The current global health architecture has allowed great progress in global health outcomes for the past twenty years. However, it has now reached its limits, with some structures proving insufficiently effective in addressing today’s challenges. At the same time, global health challenges — including funding cuts, health emergencies, economic and armed conflicts, and climate change — make reform both necessary and urgent. We therefore welcome today’s discussion on the WHO-hosted process aimed at strengthening the future global health architecture. The time to act is now, and we should seize this opportunity.
The reform process should map the roles and mandates of global health actors and address existing gaps, duplications, and coordination challenges. It should deliver proposals that are implementable and effective with tangible impact on the ground. In this regard, it is essential that the process remains inclusive and takes into account the perspectives of a broad range of actors.
We stand together in supporting WHO in this reform process. We look forward to further proposals for Member States on how to advance and implement these reforms effectively.
Thank you.