23 September 2025
Your Excellency Dr. Hilal Ali Hilal Al Sabti, Minister of Health of the Sultanate of Oman,
Dr. Tedros, WHO Director-General,
Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Africa Regional Director,
Distinguished Colleagues and Friends,
The Eastern Mediterranean Region faces immense challenges. Nine of our 22 countries and territories are listed by the World Bank as fragile or conflict-affected, with seven in high-intensity conflict. Mass migration, weakened systems, and attacks on health facilities have left millions vulnerable, and strained our capacity to respond.
It is against this backdrop that we welcome Resolution WHA77.9 on the Global Health and Peace Initiative (GHPI), adopted in May 2024. This resolution reflects global recognition that health is not only a human right, but also a pathway to peace.
As Dr. Tedros has reminded us: there cannot be health without peace, and no peace without health. Our Region is committed to putting this principle into action.
Equitable and participatory health interventions can build trust, foster dialogue, and encourage cooperation. Health, in this sense, becomes a bridge to stability and cohesion.
We already see this in practice.
In Afghanistan, polio teams negotiated “Days of Tranquility” to vaccinate children amid insecurity—integrating nutrition and maternal health services to strengthen trust.
In Gaza, a ceasefire enabled two polio campaigns reaching more than half a million children, while WHO arranged over 5,500 medical evacuations.
In Somalia, inclusive health services supported by the Peacebuilding Fund reduced violence, fostered reintegration, and rebuilt confidence in institutions.
And our host, Oman, has also played a vital role. In collaboration with the Oman Medical Specialty Board, a WHO-supported twinning project has trained ICU doctors in Yemen with critical life-saving skills―contributing to the stability of the health system in Yemen.
Alongside these country efforts, we are institutionalizing Health for Peace.
Through the HOPE Initiative, we have trained stakeholders in negotiation and conflict analysis, and held regional consultations to embed peace–health linkages.
Together with the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, TDR, we are advancing migration health research—better understanding risks, service barriers, and the needs of vulnerable populations.
The GHPI Roadmap, developed with Member States, provides a strong platform for action. It has been a truly collaborative process, and we now look forward to finalizing and operationalizing it―with successful implementation under the leadership of Member States and with the full support of WHO.
Ultimately, our shared goals are health and peace for all. By investing in resilient, inclusive health systems, we are investing in both human well-being and lasting stability.
