Honourable Chair, Dr Jerome Walcott,
Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
First, I thank Minister Walcott for his leadership of this Board.
And I thank all Member States, members and non-members of the board, and non-state actors and UN organizations, for your engagement in this meeting, and your support for the success of our WHO.
You have dealt with a very significant agenda – both in terms of its size and its importance.
Thank you in particular for your decision to recommend the Programme Budget 2026-27 to the World Health Assembly;
And thank you for the confidence you have shown by recommending the 20% increase in assessed contributions, and for honouring the commitment you made in 2022 to increase assessed contributions to 50% of the base budget.
This is a very strong signal of your support;
And it is a major step towards putting WHO on a more predictable and sustainable financial footing.
As you have heard me say many times, when I started as Director-General more than seven years ago, we identified the Organization’s reliance on a handful of traditional donors as a major risk.
Addressing that risk became a priority of the Transformation we started seven years ago.
I hope you see and agree that we have come a long way on that journey, through the Investment Round, the WHO Foundation and the historic commitment to increase assessed contributions, because of your strong commitment to sustainable financing.
These are truly transformational changes that are helping to broaden our donor base, reduce our exposure to unpredictable and volatile funding, and share the burden more evenly.
I also thank those Member States who have committed to making more flexible contributions to WHO.
Of course, we recognise you expect results, and you expect value for money – and so you should.
You said that budget allocations should align with Member State priorities. We agree.
You said we need to prioritize based on realistic funding. We agree.
You said that our workforce is our greatest asset. We agree.
You said we need to improve efficiency, enhance oversight and reduce unnecessary expenditures. We agree.
Not only do we agree – that’s exactly what we’re doing and what we'll continue to do.
As I said in my opening remarks last Monday, we are operating with twin strategic goals: to mobilize new resources; and to tighten our belts.
Thank you for the support you have demonstrated this week for these twin goals.
Although a large part of your discussion has been about budget and financing, it’s important to remember that budget and financing are means to an end.
They matter because they enable the technical and operational work of the Organization.
So I thank you for the commitment you have demonstrated in adopting resolutions and decisions on universal health coverage, communicable and noncommunicable diseases, emergencies, polio, meningitis, cervical cancer, substandard and falsified medicines, medical devices, the health and care workforce, digital health, women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and so much more.
Most of all, thank you for the spirit in which you have worked this week.
As I said in my opening remarks last Monday, we regret the announcement by the United States of its intention to withdraw. It was sad to see them participating less this week. I think we all felt their absence.
We very much hope they will reconsider, and we would welcome the opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue.
Thank you all once again for your hard work over the past eight days;
And for your continuing commitment to our founding vision: the highest attainable standard of health for all people – not as a luxury for some, but a right for all.
I wish you all a safe and healthy journey home, and as you have already guided us, we will keep in touch and update you regularly. Thank you so much and safe travels.