Eastern Mediterranean Region is at the junction of three different eco-epidemiological zones in two continents with a wide variation in socioeconomic development status. The diversity of environment has influenced the malaria situation and is a major determinant of the success in malaria control between and even within countries. To address these variations Regional malaria programme has stratified the countries of the region into three groups. The countries have been categorized based on available information in 2009. However, overtime countries may be placed in different groups as the malaria situation changes.

Group 1: Countries that have eliminated malaria: Bahrain, Egypt Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libyan Jamahiriya, Morocco,  Oman,  Palestine, Qatar, Syrian Arab Republic,  Tunisia and United Arab Emirates

Group 2: Countries targeting malaria elimination, where local transmission is limited to certain geographically areas, mostly at the border: Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia

Group 3: Countries at the stage of malaria control, with or without sub national projects for elimination in certain areas (Afghanistan, Djibouti, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen)