Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Colleagues and Friends,
Good morning and welcome to 18th Meeting of the Subcommittee on Policy and Programme Development and Management (SPPDM).
This subcommittee of the Regional Committee deals primarily with WHO policy, programme development and management-related matters.
I am pleased to see many participants of the prior High-Level Preparatory Meeting are here as well. The continuity is welcome, particularly considering your important roles in our WHO programmes at the country level.
Today, we will present the SPPDM Agenda 2. This is Agenda 7 of the upcoming RC, titled “Programme Budget matters,” and includes:
Programme Budget 2024–2025: implementation and mid-term review; and
the Programme Budget for the upcoming 2026–2027 biennium.
When discussing implementation of WHO’s Country Programme Budget, I request you to give special attention to how we can accelerate the rate and quality of implementation without compromising results. We have to ensure greater impact from our budgetary resources.
I am pleased to confirm that we will continue to focus on country needs in our region. This, of course, always evolves as we progress in our work, and we remain updated with the needs of the moment.
I now request you to turn to the Agenda which has been provided to you.
Item 2.1 covers the results and implementation status of the mid-term review of Programme Budget for the current biennium (2024–2025).
The approved Programme Budget 2024–2025 for our region amounted to US$ 537.9 million. This is composed of:
US$ 487.3 million for the Base segment,
US$ 46 million for the Emergency Operations and Appeals segment, and
US$ 4.6 million for Special Programmes.
Now on to the update on the implementation status of the Programme Budget, as of 31 July 2025.
The regional approved Programme Budget stands 87% funded.
Implementation is 62% against the approved Budget, utilization (including encumbrances) is 70%.
Against total distributed resources, implementation is 71%, and utilization (including encumbrances) is 80%.
The Results Report 2024, presented to the 78th World Health Assembly, reflects WHO’s consistent commitment to transparency, accountability, and results-based management. It provides Member States and donors with a clear view of how resources are being used to achieve tangible results. It has a strong focus on country-level delivery and support for national health priorities, highlights key challenges, and identifies areas where corrective actions are being taken.
I can assure you that the Secretariat will provide regular updates to Member States on implementation progress throughout the Region.
We now turn to item 2.2 - the Programme Budget 2026–2027.
This is a significant milestone, as it is the first to be fully aligned with the Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14). GPW14, as you know, emphasizes advancing health equity, strengthening health systems resilience, and ensuring sustainable financing.
The Programme Budget 2026–2027 has been developed in response to a rapidly evolving global landscape, and is a disciplined, impact-oriented approach to resource allocation.
The Base Segment is US$ 417.2 million, which is a decrease of US$ 70.1 million (or 14%) from the base segment in 2024–2025. Out of this envelope, 75% is planned at the country offices and 25% is at Regional Office level.
The GPW14 Results Framework ensures accountability through monitoring, performance indicators, and transparent reporting. In alignment with broader UN strategies, it also integrates gender equality, equity, and disability inclusion.
Our region has always had a focus on results-based, bottom–up planning, in consultation with our Member States. In this spirit, the Secretariat is now working towards the “Operational Planning for Programme Budget 2026–2027.” This is being done in the context of prioritized Outputs, Outcomes and strategic deliverables at the country and regional levels.
I urge our Member States to continue your collaboration with the Secretariat, and to actively participate in the country consultations on the operational planning process for 2026–2027.
Excellencies and Delegates,
I look forward to the continued support of our Member States as we work towards our common goal of a healthier South-East Asia.
The Secretariat will make detailed presentations on all Agenda items. I request you to please refer to the uploaded Working Papers for any further updates.
Once again, be assured of the Secretariat’s continued support and assistance.
Please feel free to seek any clarification, or request any additional information, on any of the agenda items. We will be pleased to assist you.
I wish you a successful SPPDM meeting, and look forward to your active participation.
Thank you.