15 October 2025
Your Excellencies Ministers of Health and Heads of Delegations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to the 72nd Session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Many of you have taken part in more Regional Committees than I have; this is only my second.
Yet I hope that, even for those who are familiar with the proceedings, it will be clear that this is no longer business as usual at WHO/EMRO.
Over the past 18 months this Region has been a hive of activity.
We have restructured and reprioritized our work, launched and started implementing a new Strategic Operational Plan with three flagship initiatives, responded to 16 graded emergencies and 56 disease outbreaks, mobilized more than US$1.4 billion in voluntary contributions, reinvigorated the Regional Health Alliance, and forged 15 new partnerships. We are establishing a Regional Financing Working Group comprised of health financing experts from Member States to pursue innovative, strategic and sustainable financing for health in our Region.
This year, we also revisited how the Regional Committee itself operates—shaping a Member State–driven agenda that reflects the real priorities of our Region.
Transparency, accountability, and inclusive decision-making remain cornerstones of my leadership, and I thank you for the confidence you have placed in me.
My hope is that, together, we will strengthen coordination and build lasting trust—among Member States, and between Member States and the Secretariat.
In the days ahead, we will review my annual report, along with the reports of the Programme Subcommittee of the Regional Committee, and the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks.
We will also take stock of progress on polio eradication and transition, health emergencies, and other matters.
And examine technical papers on zero-dose children, health system recovery in fragile contexts, palliative care, and laboratory biosafety and biosecurity; as well as consider a new operational plan of action on climate change and health.
All the technical papers we will discuss were proposed by you, our Member States.
On the governance side, we will discuss the WHO Transformation Agenda and the provisional agenda of the 158th Executive Board session.
And finally, one of my favorite moments: recognizing pioneers from our Region through awards for excellence in cancer care and Down syndrome research.
Excellencies,
Thank you for the leadership and dedication you bring to this table. I wish you all a thought-provoking and productive Regional Committee.
