EU statement - WHA78 - Item 11.2 – Proposed Programme Budget 2026–2027

European Union Statement  WHO 78 th World Health Assembly(19 May – 27 May 2025)________ Item 11.2 – Proposed Programme Budget 2026–2027________ Geneva, 20 May 2025  WHO 78 th 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 GPW 14 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...