5 Key Takeaways from WHO Executive Board Meeting

February 14, 2025

Amidst all the disruptions we are experiencing in global health, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s 156th Executive Board Meeting (EB154) officially came to a close on February 11th. Below are five key takeaways from this year’s session:

Take Away One: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’  defends WHO and demonstrates willingness to engage in open dialogue with the United States (US) in his opening and closing Statements

During his opening remarks Dr. Tedros highlighted important milestones the WHO has reached such as the:

  • Approval of the 14th Global Programme of Work which, if implemented, could save 40 million lives over the next four years
  • Historic approval of a package of amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) 
  • Agreements made to conclude negotiations for the WHO Pandemic Treaty in next World Health Assembly (WHA) 
  • Launch of the WHO Investment Round which so far has resulted in the mobilization of half the resources needed to implement the GPW14 (total of US $3.3 billion/ $7.1 billion required for 2025-2028) 

Dr. Tedros also took the time to share his regrets that US President Donald Trump has chosen to withdraw the US from the WHO. He countered each of the reasons for the withdrawal stating:

  • Over the past seven years the WHO has implemented the “deepest and most wide-ranging reforms in the organization’s history”
  • WHO is currently addressing the imbalance between assessed and involuntary contributions by broadening the WHO’s donor base which will in the long-term reduce financing from Member States and make WHO more sustainable
  • WHO is taking the necessary steps to address the over 300 recommendations that have risen from multiple reviews of the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The organization as a UN agency is and always will be impartial and will continue to exist to serve all countries. However when the WHO is asked to act contrary to its mission or scientific evidence it “will say no politely and has done so to countries of all income levels” 

In his closing statement, at the end of EB156, Dr. Tedros reiterated WHO’s priorities including:

  • Mobilizing new resources while “tightening our belts”
  • Prioritizing WHO activities based on realistic funding
  • Continuing to emphasize the workforce as the greatest asset
  • Improving efficiency and enhance oversight and reduce unnecessary expenditures
  • Continuing discussions on budget and financing

He commented that the US’s absence was greatly felt at EB156 and that he hopes they will reconsider their decision and will welcome the opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue with the USG. 

Takeaway Two: Member States reduce the WHO 2026 – 2027 Programme Budget and commit to a 20% increase in assessed contributions

During deliberations Member States agreed on the Program Budget and Administration Committee’s (PBAC) recommendations of:

  1. Lowering the programme budget to US $4.9 billion (from US $5.3 billion) due to new budget restrictions and the US withdrawal from WHO
  2. Accepting a 20% increase in assessed contributions
  3. Continuing the path of sustainable financing through the WHO investment round
  4. Developing short and long-term resource mobilization plans
  5. Costing of all 2025 draft resolutions and prioritize WHO activities and commitments in light of the reduced programme budget
  6. Distributing information about what the 20% increase in assessed contributions means for each country

Member States, in various closed door deliberations also agreed to continue to make decisions on draft resolutions to be discussed at this year’s WHA however the implementation of any approved resolutions will be dependent on availability funds in 2026-2027. 

Takeaway Three: Member states recommit to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and focus on health financing and financial protection 

Overall, UHC discussions had an enormous focus on increasing investments in UHC and ensuring financial protection. Member States overall were supportive of the Resolution on Health Financing and Health Protection that Nigeria led. The resolution seems timely given the health financing emergency the global health community faces. Currently 100 million people are being pushed into poverty and for the first time since the year 2000 there has been a decline in global health financing. It is clearing health financing is going in the wrong direction and it is time for Member States to recommit themselves through:

  • Increasing service coverage while reducing out of pocket (OOP) costs
  • Increasing investments in Primary Health Coverage (PHC) where much of the service delivery can be done
  • Embracing the power of social participation to ensure no one is left behind

For agenda item 6 Universal Health Coverage GHC signed on to a constituency statement led by Save the Children. 

Take Away Four: The WHO demonstrates its widening role in responding to health emergencies and member states discuss the cost implications of maintaining such a role

Throughout these discussions Member States deliberated on the need to strike a balance between WHO reducing unnecessary expenditures while also mobilizing resources to ensure the organization is able to effectively address health emergencies. There were also various concerns on how the US stop work on foreign aid has impacted the ability of getting humanitarian supplies and aid to people. Switzerland demonstrated particular concern around the US withdrawal from WHO and the 25% budget deficit that will cause for the WHO. Moreover, they shared deep concerns for the funding and expertise that will no longer be available to WHO and how that will impact the organization’s ability to respond to health emergencies.

Also, various member states reaffirmed their commitment to finalizing the Pandemic Treaty so the global community is better able to collectively address the current challenges in addressing health emergencies. Finally, Dr. Tedros emphasized that WHO will always continue to provide norms and standards however are becoming increasingly involved in operations. The question is how they can maintain this broadening mandate without the required funding. For this agenda item 15 WHO in Health Emergencies, GHC led and delivered a constituency statement signed by more than 20 Non-State Actors (NSAs) in official relations with WHO. 

Takeaway Five: EMRO, AFRO, China and Russia push back on engagement of certain NSAs in Official Relations with WHO demonstrating a new level of scrutiny member states are taking in the WHO’s Framework on Engagement with non-State Actors (FENSA) 

During NSA related deliberations, there seemed to be agreement on the overall usefulness of NSA statements in WHO proceedings and general support for NSA constituency statements. However, it became clear that Member State interference in WHO’s FENSA process is bound to continue. Member States representing EMRO, AFRO as well as China and Russia all expressed concern over the work of two NSA members: Centre for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and Women Deliver. 

These Member States shared concern that these NSA’s advocate and promote fields of work that contradict their countries’ values and culture. They requested that the WHO secretariat evaluate CRR activities and resurface deliberations on whether to continue to give CRR NSA Status. They also shared their concerns with renewing Women Deliver’s NSA status which is up for renewal at this year’s WHA. 

The WHO legal representative responded by stating that based on decisions made at WHA77 and FENSA, they would not review CRR’s collaboration with WHO until after a three year time period. Meanwhile deliberations on whether or not to renew Women Deliver’s NSA status will continue at this year’s WHA. Despite some support from other Member States and the WHO Secretariat, NSAs will have to continue to advocate strongly to avoid further shrinking NSA opportunities to engage in official WHO proceedings. Under agenda item 24.3 Involvement of NSA in WHO’s governing bodies GHC led and delivered a constituency statement signed by over 20 NSAs. 

Resources

See below access EB156 recordings and other resources:

Main Documents: https://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_eb156.html

Statements by Member States: https://apps.who.int/gb/statements/EB156/\

Statements by NSAs: https://extranet.who.int/nonstateactorsstatements/

Video Recording: https://www.who.int/about/governance/executive-board/156th-session 

List of Member State Delegates: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB156/B156_DIV1-en.pdf 

Looking Ahead to WHA78

WHA77 will take place from May 19 – 27, 2025  in Geneva, Switzerland. Look out for more information on WHA78 here.