WHO - World Health Organization

08/13/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/14/2024 07:03

WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the High level Segment at Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Strategic Dialogue – 13 August 2024

Your Excellency Fahd Al-Jalajel, Akhi al Aaziz.

Regional Director Hanan Balkhy,

Dear colleagues and friends,

Assalamu Alaikum,

It is a pleasure to connect with you today for the first strategic dialogue between WHO and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I regret not being able to join you in person.

The Kingdom is a valued strategic partner for WHO, and together we have made important strides in addressing global health challenges, including AMR, improving health data, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as emergency operations in several countries.

Today's discussion provides a forum for engaging with WHO colleagues on mutual priorities in the context of WHO's global health strategy for 2025 to 2028, the 14th General Programme of Work.

We estimate that implementing this strategy could save at least 40 million lives, by supporting our Member States, to promote, provide and protect the health of their populations.

This includes scaling up primary health care; strengthening health systems; improving health emergency preparedness, prevention, response and resilience; and addressing the root causes of disease, including the threat of climate change.

To support WHO's work in implementing this new strategic plan, we have launched our first Investment Round.

The Investment Round aims to mobilize the predictable and flexible resources needed for WHO's core work over the next four years.

Working with existing donors and other partners, the Investment Round aims to attract new sources of funding and will include a series of events including a high-level global pledging conference in early November.

This year's roadmap of events will culminate at the G20 leaders' summit, chaired by His Excellency President Lula da Silva of Brazil.

The Investment Round is supported by a diverse range of co-hosts, including France, Germany, Norway, Brazil, South Africa, and Mauritania as Chair of the African Union. We very much hope the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will join this group.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its important contribution to the Investment Round Steering Committee, through Mr Rakan Bin Dohaish and Mr Ibrahim Alessa.

As the only G20 country and WHO thematic core funder in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the Kingdom can play a key role in advocating for health and the Investment Round in the region and beyond, and at the G20 on behalf of the region.

Thematic funding gives a degree of flexibility that allows WHO to be more effective and efficient in allocating funds, and to focus on results for our joint priorities.

We thank the Kingdom for its generosity and for its partnership over the years.

Now, in a time of so many overlapping, complex challenges, your support and partnership are more important than ever.

I wish you again a fruitful discussion and I hope this meeting will be a new milestone in our partnership.

Shukran Jazeelan and thank you.