14 October 2025
Excellencies, distinguished ministers, esteemed colleagues, partners and friends,
It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this high-level gathering, “United to End Polio”, on the eve of the 72nd session of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean.
Polio eradication remains one of WHO’s highest priorities.
The progress made over the years reflects the collective efforts of governments, health workers, communities, and partners who have stood shoulder to shoulder in this effort.
Through the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks, Member States have redoubled their financial, political and technical commitments to this cause.
I thank all our partners and donors—particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their generous financial support, and Qatar and Kuwait for their recent pledges.
I also wish to acknowledge the steadfast support of Rotarians, who for over 30 years have championed the fight to end polio worldwide.
Yet, as we meet today, our Region still bears the remaining burden of this disease.
Wild poliovirus remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while recent outbreaks of variant poliovirus in Djibouti, Gaza, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen remind us of the fragility of our gains and the urgency of this moment.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s new Action Plan, developed in coordination with Member States and partners, is already shaping a more agile, resilient and accountable programme—better equipped to meet today’s complex realities.
But success will depend on sustained commitment and shared responsibility.
In the face of shrinking budgets and competing global priorities, we must stay the course—united in purpose, focused on results, and unwavering in our resolve to end polio once and for all.
This evening, we will hear from Member States, GPEI partners and donors on our collective efforts to stop transmission of wild and variant polioviruses—and to ensure that no child ever suffers from polio again.
