3rd High-Level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative of WHO Europe Adoption of Monaco's Declaration

From left to right:  Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director of WHO Europe;  Stéphane Valeri, Minister of Health and Social Affairs and Geneviève Berti, Director of Communication ©Government Communication Department/Charly Gallo

At the 3^rd High-Level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative of WHO Europe, Stéphane Valeri, Minister of Health and Social Affairs and Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director of the WHO for Europe, announced, on Wednesday 12 October, that the eight delegations present had adopted the Monaco Statement on climate change and its consequences for health.

Entitled "Health in All Policies – Health in All the SDGs:  A Call for Action on Climate Change," the Monaco Statement follows on from both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement adopted in December 2015 by the COP21.

The small States, meeting in Monaco, thereby commit to take joint action at the national and international levels to combat the effects of climate change on health.

Stéphane Valeri stated that, "the small States are close to their people and know how to adapt rapidly to external events.  They can be pioneers of innovation.  With regard to health in particular, they can act as good examples for other WHO member countries in terms of approaches, developing policies and their implementation."

 This High-Level Meeting was also an opportunity to formalise Monaco Scientific Centre's accession to the status of Collaborating Centre of the WHO on health and sustainable development.  This designation recognises the Centre's long-standing work in this field.

The Initiative's 4^th High-Level Meeting will be held in Malta from 24 to 27 June 2017.