President, Excellencies,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States. 

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia align themselves with this statement.

We thank the Secretary-General for his report, which recognises that global health and foreign policy are deeply interconnected. In the almost two decades since the launch of the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative, global health has moved to the centre of the diplomatic agenda and is not going to move away.

The multilateral method to tackle health issues is delivering results. We also note the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement earlier this year and the amendments to the International Health Regulations last year, which represent important steps in strengthening the global health architecture.

As stated in the Secretary-General’s report, much remains to be done to reach the SDGs. Urgent political action is needed to address the alarming stagnation of progress towards a universal health coverage by tackling shortages of the health and care workforce, through initiatives such as the WHO Academy. Non-communicable diseases and anti-microbial resistance remain at the top of the diplomatic agenda.

As the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent, particularly affecting the health of the most vulnerable, and plastic pollution still awaits bold and decisive action from the international community, the “One Health” approach remains more relevant than ever.

The EU and its Member States remain firmly committed to promoting health equity and universal health coverage as key enablers of the 2030 Agenda. We will continue to work to strengthen health systems, enhance prevention and preparedness, and address the broader determinants of health, leaving no one behind. 

We note that the Secretary-General’s report was released after resolution 79/287 was adopted, which limited its relevance in informing this important process. It is crucial that such reports are provided earlier in the future to better guide negotiations and ensure timely, comprehensive input from key global health stakeholders. While we supported resolution 79/287, we expressed strong reservations on several paragraphs and had to dissociate on tech transfer. We trust our concerns will be more clearly heard going forward to ensure stronger consensus, including in the current negotiations on the political declaration for the HLM on non-communicable diseases and mental health.

Strong multilateral cooperation and a robust multilateral health architecture with the WHO at its core are essential to address today’s pressing health challenges — from pandemic preparedness and antimicrobial resistance, to non-communicable diseases, mental health, and the impact of the climate crisis. The EU and its Member States reaffirm their support to WHO as the cornerstone of the global health architecture, and we will continue to work with all partners to advance equitable, effective multilateral responses to global health challenges.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.