Germany and France have reconfirmed their political, financial and technical support to WHO. His Excellency Olivier Véran, Minister for Solidarity and Health of the Republic of France, and His Excellency Jens Spahn Minister of Health of the Federal Republic of Germany, met with WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva on 25 June to discuss the status of the global COVID-19 pandemic and measures to help countries where it continues to spread.
“WHO is honoured to welcome you both here today,” said Dr Tedros during the press conference that followed the tripartite meeting, “we offer our sincere thanks for your expression of solidarity and support. We’re getting today all the support we need, political and financial. I would like to express my gratitude.”
Germany will lead the EU Presidency for the next six months. “Global health and managing the pandemic will be key themes,” said Minister Spahn. “This is why I came to discuss the Presidency plans and ways to support WHO during this critical time. Germany remains a strong supporter and a friend; this is why I am here today.” Germany will contribute an additional EUR 41.4 million to WHO‘s core work, and an additional EUR 200 million towards the implementation of the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. This follows Germany’s pledge in May of EUR 110 million to WHO in support of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a Global Collaboration to Accelerate the Development, Production and Equitable Access to New COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.
“The world needs interconnected crisis management, we need a strong, efficient, transparent WHO, more than ever, that is able to lead and coordinate the response in a global crisis,” added Minister Spahn. “Germany will do its part to give WHO the political, financial and technical support that is needed.”
Minister Véran reaffirmed France’s confidence in the Organization as the leading global public health agency and its crucial role in the response to epidemic diseases and in this case the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am also here to announce increased support to the work WHO, firstly with contribution in the amount of EUR 90 million towards the establishment of the WHO Academy, a centre of excellence that brings together international cooperation in the area of training and innovation”. He also highlighted the importance of the Germany-France partnership – both Member States of WHO and of the European Union — saying that international cooperation is needed today more than ever. On this occasion Minister Véran also confirmed President Macron’s commitment during the ACT Accelerator Marathon on 4 May to support WHO’s coordination role and to provide and additional contribution of EUR 50 million for 2020-2021.
Germany and France both have longstanding partnerships with WHO and are strong supporters of global public health. Chancellor Angela Merkel was the first world leader to invite WHO to the G20 in 2017 under Germany’s leadership, thus highlighting importance of health for all people all around the world. Germany was at the center of the development of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-Being for All, to drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Germany and WHO have engaged together on a multi-year Collaborative Programme providing decisive support in particular to implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 3 to ensure healthy lives and well-being for all people of all ages, health systems strengthening, health emergencies preparedness, anti-microbial resistance and access to medicine.
For more than 50 years, France has hosted the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon. France has also hosted the WHO Lyon Office for Country readiness strengthening since 2001. More recently, France and WHO signed an agreement to establish the WHO Academy, also in Lyon, which will be a state-of-the-art training centre, bringing the latest lifelong learning innovations to the global health sector.
In addition to their political, financial and technical support, Germany and France have also donated masks, respirators and other medical supplies and equipment to vulnerable populations still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
