Health ministers and diplomats are in Geneva for the 79th World Health Assembly – a week of negotiations on key topics such as pandemic preparedness, health financing and how to manage public health across borders to save the most lives.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus took advantage of the opening session to affirm that recent crises have reinforced the need for stronger international cooperation rather than fragmentation.
“From conflicts and economic crises to climate change and aid cuts, We live in difficult, dangerous and divisive times,” Tedros told delegates.
Cooperation is essential
The Assembly met just a day after the WHO chief declared a public health emergency of international concern following an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that spread to neighboring Uganda.
Meanwhile, the agency continues to coordinate the international response to the hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which arrived in the Netherlands on Monday following a complex evacuation and repatriation operation carried out jointly by Spain and the WHO in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.
The remaining crew members who sailed the ship to the Netherlands will now begin a 42-day quarantine period while the ship undergoes a full cleaning and disinfection.
Tedros said both emergencies underscored the continued importance of rapid international coordination to respond to cross-border health threats.
The pressure increases
The Geneva session comes at a turbulent time for international health systems, as humanitarian crises, climate-related shocks and growing economic pressures increasingly strain public health responses.
The WHO itself was confronted growing financial uncertainty following sharp reductions in donor funding over the past year, forcing the organization to restructure its programs and reduce its staff.
According to WHO budget documents, Outstanding contributions from the current and previous financial years stood at almost $360 million at the end of 2025..
Key reforms
Tedros acknowledged the impact of budget cuts, but insisted the WHO had become more resilient after nearly a decade of reforms.
“We have now completed the restructuring process,” he said. “We have reached a position of stability and are moving forward with determination and confidence.»
He argued that reforms launched nine years ago had already transformed the scientific, financial and emergency health of the organization.
Among the initiatives highlighted were the establishment of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin, the mRNA Technology Transfer Hub in South Africa and the Pandemic Fund jointly established with the World Bank, which provided $1.4 billion in grants to 128 countries.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus addresses the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Agreement on the pandemic
Tedros also highlighted the negotiations that resulted in the pandemic agreement adopted by member states last year, as well as amendments to the International Health Regulations aimed at strengthening global preparedness for future pandemics.
THE The last unresolved element remains negotiations on the pathogen access and benefit sharing systemwhich countries hoped to finalize before this week.
“It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m confident it will,” Tedros said.
He also linked the current debate over global health financing to broader calls from developing countries for greater “health sovereignty” and less dependence on external aid.
“Over the past year, many countries have experienced severe disruption due to sudden and sharp reductions in development assistance,” said Tedros.
“But they had an unintended benefit: They prompted many leaders to say that this was the time to leave behind the era of donor dependence and usher in a new era of health sovereignty.»
A vast program
In the coming week, delegates are expected to discuss a broad agenda covering malaria elimination, antimicrobial resistance, mental health, immunization, universal health coverage, digital health and artificial intelligence (AI), emergency preparedness and health conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The Assembly will also consider proposals to reform the overall architecture of global health and strengthen coordination among international institutions. Delegates are also expected to discuss the implications of the United States notifying it of its intention to withdraw from the WHO.
Before the opening, WHO presented its Annual Global Health Leaders Awardshonoring public health figures from Norway, Egypt, Ireland and the Bahamas for their contributions ranging from combating infectious diseases to humanitarian medicine and emergency response.
Among the honorees was Michael Ryan of Ireland, former executive director of WHO’s health emergencies program, who helped lead the organization’s response to COVID-19, Ebola outbreaks and multiple humanitarian crises.
