Geneva, 20 May 2025
WHO
78th World Health Assembly
Item 11.2 – Proposed Programme Budget 2026–2027
EU Statement
Dear Chair,
I am delivering this statement on behalf of the EU and its 27 Member States.
The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia as well as Armenia align themselves with this statement.
We thank the Secretariat for the revised Programme Budget 2026–2027 and acknowledge the challenging budgetary context in which it was developed.
We commend the transparent prioritization process and the key priorities that emerged from it, which represent WHO’s core functions and its unique comparative advantage. The alignment with the GPW14 and the emphasis on preserving essential functions are crucial. Delivery relies on a sustained commitment to the implementation of the reform throughout and beyond the 2026-2027 period.
We strongly support that the implementation of requests to DG contained in resolutions and decisions will take into account the operationalization of the PPB 26-27.
We acknowledge that a reduction in the base segment of the budget is inevitable given the current financial situation. WHO’s critical functions and core-mandate need to be prioritised in this reduced budget in order to remain effective and deliver. This is particularly important given the remaining funding gap of 1.65 billion USD, despite recent progress in closing it. We encourage WHO to continue identifying efficiencies and to develop contingency scenarios.
We reiterate our strong support for robust and sustainable, flexible and predictable financing for WHO. It is important to ensure that WHO is able to implement its mandate and stay independent, stressing that flexibility must be accompanied by enhanced accountability. We acknowledge and commend the important steps taken, including through WHO’s Investment Round and the increases of assessed contributions, as agreed at WHA75. We ask the Secretariat to continue to engage with Member States on the full implications of the changing financial environment and provide regular updates on the status of the financing of the Programme budget 2026–2027.
The EU and its Member States stand ready to support a stronger, more effective and accountable WHO that can fulfil its role as the indispensable cornerstone of the multilateral global health system.
*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
