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RC72

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Speeches

Dr Hanan Balkhy

Dr Hanan Balkhy

WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean

Closing remarks by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the 72nd Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean

17 October 2025

Verbal Statement by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the 72nd Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean

15 October 2025

Opening address by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the 72nd Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean

15 October 2025

RC72

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Programme

Day 1, Wednesday 15 October 2025 – Regular sessions of RC72

09:00–09:30

Session 1

(a) Opening remarks by the Chair of RC71

(b) Welcoming remarks from the Regional Director

(c) Election of Officers

Chair

2 Vice-Chairs

(d) Adoption of the provisional Agenda

(e) Appointment of drafting committee

09:30–10:00

Session 2

Governance matters

Reports of the twenty-second and twenty-third meetings of the Programme Subcommittee of the Regional Committee

Membership of WHO bodies and committees

Engagement with non-State actors: applications submitted by entities for accreditation to attend meetings of the Regional Committee

Place and date of future sessions of the Regional Committee

10:00–11:00

Session 3

World Health Assembly and Executive Board – programme and budget matters

Update on financing and implementation of the programme budget, including the implementation of the WHO Transformation Agenda

Discussion

11:00–11:30

Break

11:30–12:30

Session 4: Special update

Emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Discussion

12:30–13:30

Session 5: Special update

Polio eradication in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, including the report of the thirteenth meeting of the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks

Discussion

13:30–14:30

Lunch break

14:30–16:00

Session 6:

Opening ceremony

Address by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

Keynote speaker: H.E. Dr Hisham Saad Aljadhey, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, Saudi Food and Drug Authority

Keynote speaker: H.E. Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister's focal person on polio eradication and former member of the Senate of Pakistan

Video

Introduction to the Annual Report of the Regional Director 2024/2025 by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean

Discussions

19:00–21:00

Dinner including group photo and awards distribution 

Thursday 16 October 2025 – Regular sessions of RC72

09:00–9:50

Session 1: Technical paper 3

Palliative care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: from challenges to solutions

Discussion

9:50–10:00

Session 2

Cairo Call to Action on Breast Cancer: Advancing Equity and Innovation

10:00–11:00

Session 3: Technical paper 5

Operational action plan for climate change and health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (2026–2030)

Discussion

11:00–11:30

Break

11:30-12:30

Session 4: Technical paper 2

Health systems recovery in fragile and conflict-affected situations in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Discussion

12:30–13:30

Session 5: Technical paper 1

Zero-dose children: addressing inequity in routine immunization coverage in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Discussion

13:30–14:30

Lunch break

14:30–15:30

Session 6: Technical paper 4

Strengthening national laboratory biosafety and biosecurity policies and frameworks in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Discussion

15:30-16:15

Session 7: Side event

Monitoring Regional Committee resolutions: addressing challenges in implementing long-standing resolutions

16:15-16:30

Break

16:30-17:30

Closed meeting: Fifth meeting of the High-level Ministerial Group on the Control of Tobacco and Emerging Tobacco and Nicotine Products in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Parallel meeting, Kuwait Hall)

16:30-17:15

Closed meeting: Foundation for the State of Kuwait Prize for the Control of Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Parallel meeting, seventh floor)

17:15-18:00

Closed meeting: Award of the Down Syndrome Research Prize (Parallel meeting, seventh floor)

Friday 17 October 2025 – Regular sessions of RC72

09:00–09:30

Session 1

World Health Assembly and Executive Board:Coordination of the work of the Health Assembly, the Executive Board and the Regional Committee

Resolutions and decisions of regional interest adopted by the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly and the Executive Board at its 156th and 157th sessions

Review of the draft provisional agenda of the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board

Discussion

09:30-10:30

Session 2

Special update

The impact of economic sanctions on health and health services in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
10:30-10:40

Session 3

Statement from the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region Staff Association (EMRSA)

10:40-11:00

Session 4

Closing session

11:00–11:30

Wrap-up refreshments served at Pergola

Information bulletin

RC72

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Information bulletin

General information

Date and location

In line with Decision 4 of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean at its 71st session, the 72nd session of the Regional Committee will be held in person this year in Cairo.

The 72nd session (RC72) will open on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, and conclude on Friday, 17 October 2025 (exact timing to be confirmed).

Together for a healthier future: Action. Access. Equity

Venue: WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Cairo

Membership and attendance

The Regional Committee consists of one representative from each country or territory of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Member State delegation members, advisers and representatives of other entities invited under Rule 2 of the Regional Committee's Rules and Procedures who are unable to attend in person may follow the meeting online on WHO's public website. Details for accessing the live streaming will be shared in due course.

Conduct

WHO is committed to ensuring all participants experience an inclusive, respectful and safe environment.

All participants are expected to behave with integrity and respect towards each other and everyone involved in this event.

Participants are expected to abide by WHO's standards of conduct. WHO has zero tolerance for any form of harassment or sexual misconduct, or for any inaction against these.

For more information, please refer to:

  • WHO Code of Conduct to prevent harassment, including sexual harassment, at WHO events
  • WHO Policy on Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct
For concerns or reports:

Ms Marta Agosti, Regional PRS Coordinator
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Confidential reports:

WHO Office of Internal Oversight Services
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Registration

Credentials

In accordance with Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedure, Member States are requested to communicate the names and designations of their representatives, alternates and advisers to the RC72 Secretariat no later than 15 August 2025.

For Member States, such communication shall take the form of official credentials issued by the Head of State, Head of Government, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Health or any other appropriate authority (such as embassies, permanent missions or senior government officials such as directors-general or permanent secretaries for health).

Credentials may be submitted electronically or hand-delivered to the RC72 Secretariat This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. not less than two days before the opening of the session of the Regional Committee.

The credentials should be issued on the official letterhead of the competent authority and must include all the information specified in the form. The credentials must be dated, signed and stamped by the issuing authority.

Registration process

Online registration is a prerequisite for attendance at RC72. Registration can be completed through the registration link.

Delegations are kindly requested to complete online registration no later than 15 August 2025.

The WHO Secretariat will confirm your registration via email.

Official programme

Working languages

The working languages of the Regional Committee are Arabic, English and French. Oral statements made in any of these languages will be interpreted simultaneously into the other two. Member State delegation members will be able to select their preferred language, as the meeting will be webcast in all three languages.

Accessibility

The meeting venue is fully accessible for individuals using mobility aids, including wheelchairs. To ensure a smooth experience, participants with specific accessibility requirements are kindly requested to inform the Secretariat in advance. This will allow any necessary support to be arranged ahead of time. For assistance, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Agenda and other documents

Official documentation for the session will be available in Arabic, English and French on the Regional Committee website from September 2025.

Participants are kindly requested to consult the documents online as the Regional Committee is a paperless meeting.

Written statements

During plenary meetings, delegates wishing to take the floor should signal their wish to speak by raising their name plate or standing it vertically on one end.

Statements will be limited to three minutes. Interventions by international partners and non-State actors in official relations with WHO or accredited by the Regional Committee will be limited to two minutes. Written statements of no more than 600 words may be submitted for posting on the Regional Committee website under the related agenda item.

Please send statements for posting to the WHO website to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., indicating the name of the country delegation or entity and agenda item number in the subject line of the email.

Written statements should contain text only. No photographs, diagrams, maps or other media materials may be included (per document EB149/3).

Eco-friendly meeting

Organizers are committed to ensuring that the session of the Regional Committee will be environmentally friendly through its paperless initiative mentioned above. It will seek to encourage people's participation in physical activities and to ensure that healthy food options are available to participants.

Travel to Egypt

Travel

Delegates and participants are kindly requested to make their own travel arrangements for both outward and return journeys.

Visa arrangements

Participants should obtain a visa or entry permit to Egypt prior to their departure from their home country. A visa support letter may be provided upon request.

Insurance

WHO cannot accept liability for personal accidents or loss of or damage to the private property of participants and accompanying persons, either during or indirectly arising from participation in the Regional Committee. Participants should make their own arrangements with respect to health and travel insurance.

Accommodation

To facilitate participants' accommodation, WHO has secured several rooms with negotiated rates in the following hotels in Cairo that are close to the Regional Office premises:

Intercontinental Citystars Cairo

Holiday Inn Cairo – Citystars

Hilton Cairo Heliopolis

Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis

When completing your registration to attend RC72, you will be presented with a choice of room types and negotiated rates, and a form to complete with your preferred accommodation requirements. Our team will then facilitate the booking and pass the hotel confirmation on to you.

Kindly note that payment for accommodation is to be settled by participants directly with their chosen hotel.

Transportation

Transportation to and from the Regional Office is available and can be arranged directly through the reception desk at your hotel.

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