Monaco Participates in the 77th World Health Assembly

©DR

Delegates from the Principality attended the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA), the supreme decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), in Geneva from 27 May to 1 June 2024. This is the first time Monaco has been elected to the Bureau of the Assembly, which is responsible for coordinating the session's proceedings.

The theme of this year's general debate was: All for Health, Health for All. During her speech, H.E. Ms Carole Lanteri, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Principality to the United Nations Office in Geneva and Head of Delegation, referred to the Principality's excellent public health policy, pointing out that “health for all is not simply an aspiration, it's a reality in Monaco”.

Given the international context of the meeting, there were lengthy debates on the agenda concerning the health situation in Ukraine and the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan.

From a normative approach, the aim was to continue and conclude the work initiated in 2022 by the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005, WGIHR) and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body for an International Instrument on Pandemics (INB). The WGIHR succeeded in its task of submitting a set of amendments to the IHR (2005) at this 77th Assembly. Regarding the INB, the Assembly decided to extend the INB's work for one year, since negotiations could not be finalised.

Finally, the Principality co-sponsored several resolutions to some of Monaco's top priority issues, such as climate change and health, emergency preparedness, mental health in conflict situations and natural disasters, reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality, and improving health and well-being at sporting events.