16 September 2025
Morocco
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, and partners,
A very warm welcome to you all.
I begin by thanking our generous hosts—His Excellency Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, and His Excellency Amine Tahraoui, Minister of Health and Social Protection of Morocco—for bringing us together to advance our shared health security.
I also acknowledge the Gates Foundation for its steadfast commitment to the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) in the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions over the past three years.
This initiative—born from a conversation between Bill Gates and Dr. Tedros on the idea of a global “pandemic army”—is a testament to our collective commitment to health security.
Our Regions shoulder a disproportionate share of the world’s health emergencies.
Systems are tested repeatedly by cholera, polio and other emerging diseases such as monkeypox and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF); by humanitarian crises that displace millions; and by climate-driven events that heighten vulnerabilities.
These emergencies erode development gains and deepen human suffering.
COVID-19 taught us a painful lesson: fragmented and purely reactive leadership delays action. Without trust built in calmer times, cooperation falters in crisis.
We must forge connections before the next emergency strikes.
That is the purpose of today’s gathering: the launch of the network of health emergency leaders—a bi-regional platform to foster trust, peer learning, and joint action between the African and Eastern Mediterranean Regions.
It offers practical mechanisms for collaboration—connecting leaders to ensure we are better prepared, better aligned, and able to respond together.
This initiative anchors my flagship on the health workforce in EMR, strengthens WHO–Africa CDC collaboration through the Joint Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, and aligns with the Global Health Emergency Corps.
When crises transcend borders, so must our response—seamlessly, efficiently, and with one voice.
The network’s value is clear: trust, operational alignment with global efforts, and a mechanism to share lessons and expectations before emergencies erupt.
But its success will depend on Member States. It must be country-driven, sustained, and rooted in shared responsibility.
So I ask for your endorsement of the Rabat Statement of Intent, for your active participation, and for your support in advocating for the network’s long-term sustainability.
WHO will provide catalytic support, but the network must remain Member State–owned, enriched by partnerships with Africa CDC, the Gates Foundation, and others.
Together, we can transform shared vulnerabilities into shared strengths—and deliver resilience and hope for the people we serve.
