Honourable Ministers, Excellencies,
I am delivering this statement on behalf of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
Sudden and steep cuts to official development assistance are wreaking havoc on the health of millions of people, deepening inequalities and instability.
Humanitarian crises are compounding these challenges, including conflicts in which attacks on health care have become the new normal, in violation of international humanitarian law.
Peace and health are intertwined, and where there is no peace, disease thrives.
It’s no accident that polio resurged in Gaza last year, 25 years after the last reported case.
Health is not just a moral imperative—it is a pillar of security, peace, and prosperity.
In a world in which viruses know no borders, health security can only be achieved through collective action.
This is why multilateral cooperation is more vital than ever, and why multilateral organizations—when empowered and supported—can drive equity, resilience, and collective action.
And multilateralism still works, as shown by the Pandemic Agreement, adopted by WHO Member States at this year’s World Health Assembly.
And today, UN Member States will approve a political declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health, with ambitious, measurable and achievable targets.
There is no question that global health – and multilateralism in general – is in crisis. But as Winston Churchill said, never let a good crisis go to waste.
Because this crisis also gives low-income countries an opportunity to finally leave behind the era of aid dependency, and move forward in a new era of sovereignty and self-reliance.
For WHO, although we are in a difficult and painful period, we also see an opportunity to make the organization leaner, sharper and more focused on its core mandate.
G20 countries can play a key role in realizing both of those strategic opportunities, by supporting countries on the road to self-reliance, and by building a stronger, more empowered and more independent WHO.
I thank you.