GENEVA — In a comprehensive three-day strategic dialogue, representatives from Belgium and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reviewed the milestones of their longstanding partnership, charting a robust course for future collaboration. The high-level discussions focused on reinforcing universal health coverage (UHC), strengthening fragile health systems, and ensuring equitable, sustainable access to essential vaccines, medicines, and innovative health technologies across the globe.
The multi-day engagement brought together a diverse Belgian delegation representing the federal government as well as the regional governments of Flanders and Wallonia, demonstrating a unified national commitment to international public health. The delegation was led by His Excellency Christophe Payot, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva.
Throughout the dialogue, participants addressed critical issues of strategic importance, exchanging vital perspectives on how to seamlessly align WHO’s overarching global strategic directions with Belgium’s national development cooperation priorities. These discussions took place against the backdrop of an increasingly complex and evolving global health landscape, requiring agile partnerships and targeted interventions.
The meetings also provided an opportunity to review the tangible outcomes of Belgium’s financial and diplomatic support for global health initiatives—efforts that were heavily spotlighted during Belgium’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2024. The WHO was represented by senior leadership and technical experts hailing from both WHO headquarters in Geneva and the Regional Offices for Africa and for Europe, ensuring a comprehensive review spanning global, regional, and grassroots operational levels.
Reflecting on the productive exchanges, Mr. Koen Van Acoleyen, Minister Counselor at the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the UN, emphasized the value of the partnership during testing global times. "After listening to the leaders and experts of WHO, we now better understand how they are navigating these challenging times," Mr. Van Acoleyen noted. "We are honoured that we can walk this road together."
Dr. Catharina Boehme, WHO Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Governing Bodies, expressed deep appreciation for the steadfast partnership, highlighting the multi-layered support provided by the Belgian state. "We thank you for your support, honesty, and strong engagement for global health," Dr. Boehme said. "Your efforts in supporting our work in Mozambique and Senegal are clear examples of the crucial work we accomplish together."
Accelerating Equitable Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies
A central pillar of the dialogue involved a meticulous review of the current status and major milestones achieved under the Access to Medicines programme, a critical initiative generously funded by Belgium. To ground the high-level policy discussions in field realities, the WHO presented detailed operational insights illustrating its ongoing work and persistent challenges through country-level implementation examples in Senegal.
The discussions shed light on broader WHO policies aimed at driving equitable access and fostering local pharmaceutical and technological production in developing regions. Both Belgian and WHO delegations converged on a shared vision regarding the long-term sustainability of the Access to Medicines initiative. Participants emphasized that effective market shaping remains an indispensable prerequisite for securing enduring, systemic success and preventing supply chain vulnerabilities in resource-limited settings.
Health Emergencies and Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
In an era defined by compounding biological threats and geopolitical instability, the dialogue naturally gravitated toward global health security. Participants conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the WHO’s pivotal role in reinforcing the global architecture dedicated to health emergency prevention, preparedness, response, and resilience.
This discussion encompassed the ongoing, high-stakes negotiations surrounding the global pandemic agreement, alongside the operational integration of the One Health approach—an interdisciplinary framework recognizing that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected.
To illustrate the stark realities of health emergency response, WHO experts presented operational briefings detailing harrowing field activities and life-saving interventions in Gaza. The debate also addressed mounting systemic threats posed by the rapid acceleration of biological risks and zoonotic spillover events, alongside strategies for proactive WHO engagement, with a primary focus on robust risk mitigation and early-warning mechanisms.
Universal Health Coverage
Progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) formed the bedrock of numerous strategic sessions. Elaborating on the advances made through the UHC-Partnership, participants scrutinized the concrete results achieved by the WHO with Belgian financial and technical backing over the 2021–2024 period, focusing particularly on nations prioritized under Belgium’s bilateral development cooperation framework.
Looking ahead, both parties explored avenues for enhanced operational collaboration at the country level. Key proposals included forging tighter alignments between WHO country office programs and Belgium’s bilateral cooperation frameworks on the ground. As a case study in both achievement and persistent systemic hurdles, delegates reviewed comprehensive summaries of health sector work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Furthermore, the delegations examined WHO’s strategic policies and operational frameworks regarding mental health integration within primary health care settings, acknowledging the growing global burden of psychological distress and the necessity of holistic care models.
Beyond mainstream UHC frameworks, the partners evaluated progress across several specialized public health programs backed by Belgium. These included dedicated initiatives targeting Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and the protection of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Reviewing these sensitive and vital areas underscored the absolute necessity of maintaining a strictly evidence-based approach to policy design and field implementation.
Looking into the Future
As the three-day dialogue drew to a close, attention shifted toward the future architecture of the Belgium-WHO partnership framework and multi-year cooperation agreements. Discussions centered on mapping out concrete milestones toward a renewed WHO-Belgium Country Cooperation Strategy, designed to maximize the impact of future investments.
Both organizations agreed that their deepened collaboration will serve as a vital catalyst for driving a robust global health agenda under the umbrella of the WHO 14th General Programme of Work (GPW14). A shared vision emerged: placing UHC and health systems strengthening at the very heart of GPW14 ambitions, ensuring they remain the essential scope guiding WHO’s ongoing prioritization exercises.
Summarizing the sentiment of the delegation, Mr. Dirk Brems, Director of Thematic and Multilateral Cooperation at the Directorate-General Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, affirmed the enduring trust between the two entities. "We recognize WHO as a trustworthy partner in global health," Mr. Brems stated. "We felt proud hearing how crucial our support is to the Organization and how it is having a positive impact at country, regional, and global levels. It’s important we continue these discussions as we tread uncharted territories, and we look forward to working together for strong and sustained multilateralism."
