From May 11 to 13, high-level delegates from 12 countries in the WHO European Region, each with populations of 2 million or fewer, will gather in Bled, Slovenia, for the Eleventh High-level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative (SCI).
This meeting marks a significant milestone, celebrating the third year of implementation of the SCI roadmap and coinciding with key discussions on the development of the second European Programme of Work (EPW2), which will shape the Region’s health agenda for 2026–2030.
The Eleventh High-level Meeting will focus on the EPW2 priorities for small countries, reflect on the impact of the SCI, and place special emphasis on lessons learned, cross-cutting enablers and innovative solutions to improve health and well-being, addressing key priorities, including:
- leveraging personalized and preventive care
- optimizing technological innovations
- accelerating decarbonization in health systems
- ensuring sustainable health financing
- empowering communities and promoting social participation.
The meeting is expected to conclude with the signing of the Slovenia Statement.
The SCI
Established in 2013, the SCI serves as a platform for Member States in the Region, which have populations of 2 million or fewer. It enables these countries to collaborate on shared challenges and exchange experiences aimed at improving health outcomes.
At the Eighth High-level Meeting of the SCI in Bečići, Montenegro, the “Roadmap towards better health in small countries in the WHO European Region (2022–2025)” was endorsed. The roadmap’s objectives include:
- placing health and well-being at the forefront of political agendas in small countries
- advocating for the needs of small countries at both regional and international levels
- promoting investments in health and well-being, ensuring no one is left behind
- building a solutions platform for better health and more resilient health systems
- measuring progress and outcomes.
The countries involved in the SCI are Andorra, Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino and Slovenia.