On Monday, 3 February 2025, the Chair of the 156th session of the World Health Organziation’s Executive Board, Dr. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Wellness, Barbados, delivered the following opening address.
156th SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Monday, 3 February 2025 at 09:30
Welcome to this 156th session of the Executive Board. It is an honor to be chairing this session in my personal capacity. The fact that I am from Barbados, one of the WHO’s smallest member states, sends a signal as to how important the WHO and global public health is to my small island state. Multilateralism and multilateral institutions are crucial to us all but especially for the most vulnerable.
This Executive Board is meeting at a time where the primacy of global health governance is under severe scrutiny; multilateralism as we know it, particularly in the global health sphere, is under threat; an unrelenting and unforgiving climate crisis, heightened geo-political tensions as well as conflict within and among countries, pose real and lasting risks to global health.
Misinformation and disinformation on public health challenges the credibility of the WHO and its ability to build consensus on global health policy, and the effective implementation of public health policies at the national level. Misinformation can have serious consequences on our populations who look to the media, and increasingly social media, for facts. We fail our people when we do not provide accurate information. We roll the dice on people’s lives when rhetoric is misinterpreted for fact.
We are meeting at a time where financing the WHO’s global health agenda has demanded our full attention and has hastened the need for us to be creative in developing innovative means of financing. From broadening the donor base and reducing our dependence on a limited number of traditional donors to challenging the Secretariat to raise more resources through new avenues, we must mobilize financing in a fiscally conservative global environment.
Importantly, two years ago, we also agreed to increase assessed contributions for 2026 – 2027 by 20 percent. Without this increase the objective of raising assessed contributions to cover 50% of WHO’s base budget by 2030, is not guaranteed.
We all recognise the need for reform, and must acknowledge the progress made thus far by the WHO Secretariat, and the discussions under the guidance of the Member State leads on Governance Reform.
Colleagues.
A compromised or fragmented global health system, not only cost lives, but also poses one of the greatest threats to the global economy and global security. The issues before us, and the decisions that we make this week will be consequential to the future of the WHO as an institution, to global health governance, and to the health of billions of people across the world.
We must therefore focus on concrete deliverables that redound to what we envision the WHO to be in the future: an organisation that is fit for purpose, sustainably financed, and agile enough to address its programmed work, and any health emergencies that arise.
I was delighted to exchange views with many of you during yesterday’s informal meeting of the Board. We discussed critical issues confronting the WHO and agreed that whilst the matters before us may not be simple, they are of utmost importance to the future of WHO.
I therefore trust our collective resolve to support WHO’s functions and to develop viable solutions for its sustainable financing.
Draft Chair’s summary- Informal meeting
I would like to take this opportunity to report to you on yesterday’s informal meeting of the Executive Board which I just mentioned.
We met for a full day, in a relaxed format and at the outset we considered the outcomes of the PBAC last week and expressed our appreciation to the PBAC Chair, Dr CathrineLofthus, for her excellent stewardship.
We also acknowledged that WHO is in a challenging phase after the announcement by the United States of its intention to withdraw from the Organization, and recognized the important role of the Board in guiding the Secretariat during this time.
To this end, we rolled up our sleeves and delved into two main topics.
First, we turned to the matter of governance reform and considered the Member State-led governance reform process and the proposal that Member States discuss in the coming months a more sustainable model for governance reform. We expressed our deep appreciation for the work of the Member State leads on governance reform and agreed it would be important to maintain the momentum on this important issue.
We also reflected on agenda management and resolution management, paying particular attention to the financial implications of draft resolutions, including those that the Board is expected to consider at its 156th session.
Furthermore, we highlighted the challenge of participating meaningfully in the recent negotiations of some 20 or so draft resolutions and discussed whether there might be mechanisms for addressing such a large volume.
For example, we discussed how, in instances where the objective of a resolution is to raise awareness, and for advocacy rather than to create new work streams, other instruments, such as side events, might be more prudent.
While noting that proposing resolutions to the governing bodies is the prerogative of Member States, we recognized that future proposals for resolutions could be informed by gap and risk analyses; clear identification of costs and possible funding sources; priorities as expressed at the country-level; and an analysis of linkages to the 14th General Programme of Work.
It was also pointed out that the Officers of the Board might have a role to play in gathering information and having informal discussions about proposals.
We discussed how the Board might consider requesting the Secretariat to prepare a paper for our May meeting, identifying reforms that have been implemented and others that are needed to help us move forward.
Next, we turned to strategic matters. We discussed the development of the Proposed Programme Budget 2026-2027 and the three options which were presented in light of the expected decrease in financing. We noted the PBAC’s proposal to decrease the base segment of the Programme Budget 2026-2027 to US$ 4.9 billion, which we will be discussing later today.
We also recognized the PBAC’s support for the 20% increase in assessed contributions, and how such an increase constitutes a logical step in the sustainable financing journey. This would follow on from WHO’s first investment round, which was launched last year.
Several possible approaches to innovative financing were discussed, including a WHO endowment.
There was a common understanding that WHO is in a difficult situation and that our consideration of the budget and on WHO reform, could not be “business as usual.” In response, WHO would pursue the twin goals of resource mobilization and efficiency gains.
In our discussions, we highlighted the need for WHO to improve its communications activities, including in country offices. We also noted that other avenues would also be explored in order to broaden the donor base and improve the quality and sustainability of funding.
We had a very positive day of exchange and getting to know each other better.
I would like to thank members of the Board for coming out on a Sunday afternoon ahead of a week and a half of intense discussions, as well as for their frank and active engagement that will surely contribute positively to the work before us.