WHO’s corporate approach to Inter-Agency Pooled Funds
United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Funds (MPTFs) and Joint programs (collectively referred to as Inter-Agency Pooled Funds) provide a significant opportunity for WHO to work with partners by maximizing efficiencies and impact on key health and development issues. WHO uses its leadership in health to maximum the opportunities that Inter-Agency Pooled Funds bring. MPTFs and Joint Programs are especially important for driving forward multisectoral action, which is critical in reaching many of the targets of the health SDGs.
Inter-agency pooled funding brings the United Nations together by strengthening coherence, reducing fragmentation, broadening donor bases, spreading and sharing risks across partners, and making it easier to tackle multi-dimensional challenges with comprehensive and innovative solutions. These funds also encourage greater transparency and the opportunity to share experience.
Inter-Agency Pooled Funds are an important part of the United Nations reform process, improving collaboration and reducing programmatic fragmentation across humanitarian, peace and security, and sustainable development. In general, pooled funds allow for soft earmarked funding at country level as well as by thematic area.
”The indivisible and interconnected nature of the SDGs has reinforced the imperative for more flexible and predictable funding. Inter-Agency Pooled Funds help strengthen coordination and collaboration across entities of the United Nations development system.”
Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General
”It is more important than ever that the UN continues to stand together in solidarity to tackle complex challenges with comprehensive solutions.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, describing the COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund
In addition to a number of UN Joint Programs, WHO hosts three MPTFs.
Created in 2017 by WHO, the International Labour Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to assist countries to expand and transform the health and social workforce for the SDGs. Equal access to quality health care and global health security depends on the availability of trained and capable health workers where they are most needed.
Launched in 2019 by WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Organization for Animal Health to catalyze and accelerate progress on One Health approaches to antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries, especially by supporting the implementation of antimicrobial resistance national action plans.
Established in 2021 by WHO, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme to catalyze country action and scale up domestic financing for noncommunicable diseases and mental health.
Each of the funds works to deliver common results, in a way that responds to global, regional and country level priorities and commitments, in line with UN General Assembly, G7 and G20 political declarations and commitments, WHO resolutions and action plans, as well as financing for development and aid and development effectiveness principles. The secretariats for these three MPTFs are in WHO, working closely with their UN partners and the MPTF Office.
Read more about MPTF fund portfolios for Working for Health, Antimicrobial resistance and Health4Life.
WHO participates in and receives funds from a number of other multi-partner trust funds.
WHO's corporate support for developing and delivering Inter-Agency Pooled Funds is led by a number of global and regional departments and teams and country offices. Together they identify areas ripe for new Inter-Agency Pooled Funds. WHO also leads the UN Fiduciary Management Oversight Group (capacity building working group) to build better understanding of the role of pooled funds within the context of UN reform.
