4. Reports of regional committees to the EB

Key documents

• Bundled report (EB132/4, NYP 18 Jan)

Key issues for EB consideration

PHM Comment Pre-EB

Report of discussion

The session concerns the presentation to the EB of the reports of the Regional Committees, as stated in the decision WHA 65(9). The introduction of this practice origins in the proposal for enhancing alignment between the Regional Committees and the Executive Board, and it calls for the Regional Committees to submit routinely to the Board a summary report on the advances on the global agenda.

This practice was appreciated by all Member States and represents a first step in the process of harmonisation of the work of the Regional Committees, but it has to be defined which further steps are following. Interesting issues have been raised by Mozambique on behalf of the African Region concerning the need to prioritise universal health coverage, as well as capacity-building and the strengthening of health systems, and to consider them issues to be reached as necessary steps to gain further advances in the global agenda.

The DG monitor “We must live within the budget” sounds like a reminder on the missing increase of the assessed contributions, and set a clear position that this practice doesn't intend to represent a consultation and requests by Member States will not be taken into account.

A final notice came from the European Committee about the next session, that will take place from the 16 to 19 September 2013 in Turkey instead of Portugal, as previously defined, because Portugal will not be able to support the event due to the financial situation.

PHM Comment Post-EB debate

Other reports and commentary