During discussions in Committee A of the General Assembly, Member States have agreed to WHO’s program budget for 2024-2025, which includes a 20% increase in assessed contributions. The budget to implement this program over the next two years is the most ambitious to date of US$6.83 billion, which includes a historic 20% surcharge. The Secretariat and the Director-General thanked Member States for their overwhelming support for the resolution and their trust in WHO.
Nearly 40 Member States spoke out, and decisions made by the committee during the week must go through the final step of approval by the plenary after the legislative session. Financing the program budget is essential to ensure that WHO, together with its Member States, achieves the triple billion target. Investing in WHO returns $35 for every dollar invested, highlighting WHO’s investment case (healthy returns).
Budgets are allocated around the following strategic priorities: 1 billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage at US$1,966.4 million, 1 billion people better protected from health emergencies at US$1.214 billion, and 1 billion more people with better health and well-being worth US$437.7 million. More effective and efficient WHO assistance to countries totals US$1.35 billion.
This brings the total base program total to US$4968.2 million, which remains unchanged for the 2022-2023 program budget. In addition, the approved budget includes polio eradication at US$694.3 million, special programs totaling US$866 million (US$171.7 million). Contingency Operations and Appeals are at US$1 billion.
Due to increased contributions assessed, Member States will contribute US$1,148.3 million to this budget along with their dues. The remaining US$5,685.8 million will come from voluntary contributions by Member States and other contributors. A 20% increase in assessed contributions was a commitment agreed at last year’s Health Assembly and one of the recommendations made by the Working Group on Sustainable Finance.
Other recommendations related to WHO sustainable financing, including reforms on accountability, governance, and funding, will be further considered this week, as stated in related documents: A76/4, A76/4 Add.1, A76/4 Add.2 and A76/43 A76/4 Proposed Program Budget 2024–2025 A76/4 Add.1 Proposed Program Budget 2024–2025 A76/4 Add.2 RESOLUTION: PROGRAM BUDGET 2024–2025A76/43 PROPOSED PROGRAM BUDGET 2024–2025 PROGRAM, BUDGET AND REPORTING COMMITTEE OF THE 76TH WORLD HEALTH COUNCIL.