Meeting of the Regional Director with WHO Representatives and Regional Office staff
WHO Representatives (WRs), or heads of WHO country offices, are designated by the Director-General and by the respective Regional Directors. They represent the Organization, the Director-General and the Regional Director in the country of assignment. As representatives of the Director-General and the Regional Director, WRs manage WHO core functions at country level and provide leadership in the following key functional areas: advocacy, partnership and representation; policy development and technical cooperation; and administration and management.
The annual WR meetings with the Regional Director and Regional Office staff were established as a permanent mechanism to serve as a platform for dialogue between the WRs and colleagues in regional offices and headquarters. The meetings represent an excellent opportunity for WRs to voice their ideas and be involved in discussions on how to realize WHO's vision of placing countries at the centre of the Organization's work.
WR meetings have taken place in the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean on an annual basis since 1983. During 2010 and 2011 the regional WRs' meeting took place in Geneva back-to-back with the global meeting.
Annual joint coordination meeting of WHO and UNICEF Regional Directors
Since 2001, annual joint coordination meetings have taken place between WHO Regional Office and UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office. In 2005, other UN agencies with mandates related to health or social determinants of health and operating within the Eastern Mediterranean/Middle East region were invited to the meetings. Today, the joint coordination meetings include the Regional Directors of the WHO Regional Office, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UNAIDS, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations Population Fund and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. During the one-day meetings, topics of mutual interest among the above UN bodies are discussed. The objective of the meetings are to share views on various issues of common interest, as well as foster synergy and coordination. Subjects of common interest include: the Millennium Development Goals, immunization, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, maternal health, adolescent health, road traffic injuries, governance, noncommunicable diseases and emergency preparedness and response.