Monday, 14 October 2024 – Ministerial plenary sessions

Session 1

(a) Election of officers

Chair

2 Vice-Chairs

(b) Adoption of the provisional agenda and provisional daily timetable (EM/RC71/1-Rev.2)

(c) Decision on the establishment of the Drafting Committee

Session 2

Overview of the Flagship Initiatives

Session 3

Regional Flagship Initiative 1: Securing equitable access and supply chain of medical products

Session 4

Regional Flagship Initiative 2: Investing in a resilient and sustainable health workforce

Lunch break

Session 5: Regional Flagship Initiative 3: Accelerating the control of substance use

Session 6: Eastern Mediterranean Region strategic operational plan, 2025–2028

Break

Session 7: Opening ceremony

Recital from the Holy Quran

Address by Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean (followed by a video)

Address by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

High-level segment

Keynote address by Izzeldin Abuelaish, Professor of Global Health, University of Toronto

Awards

Group photo

Tuesday, 15 October 2024 – Regular sessions of RC71

Session 1

Annual Report of the Regional Director 2023 and Vision of the Regional Director (Regional strategic operational plan and Flagship Initiatives)

Discussion

11:00–11:30

Break

11:30–13.00

Session 2

Update on emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Special update on the health and humanitarian situation in Palestine

Latest on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB)

Discussion

Lunch break (Hosted ministerial lunch by H.E. The Minister of Public Health of Qatar and Chair of RC71 under the theme “Health and Sports”)

Session 3

Special updates

Polio eradication in the Eastern Mediterranean Region including the reports of the tenth and eleventh meetings of the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks

Discussion

Session 4

Governance matters

Reports of the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first meetings of the Programme Subcommittee of the Regional Committee

Membership of WHO bodies and committees

Application from the Russian Federation to attend the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean in an observer capacity

Procedure for accreditation of regional non-state actors not in official relations with WHO to attend meetings of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean

Place and date of future sessions of the Regional Committee

Break

Session 5

Side event: Dengue and vector control in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Session 6

Side event: Launch of the regional framework for Immunization Agenda 2030

Wednesday, 16 October 2024 – Regular sessions of RC71

Session 1

Technical paper

Addressing the increasing burden of trauma in humanitarian settings in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Discussion

Session 2

Technical paper

Promoting collaborative action to accelerate the response to antimicrobial resistance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Discussion

Break

Session 3

Technical paper

Regional action plan for mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies, 2024–2030

Discussion

Session 4

Technical paper

Enhancement and digitalization of health information systems in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a regional strategy, 2024–2028

Discussion

Lunch break

Session 5

Panel discussion
Artificial intelligence for achieving universal health coverage and health security: nurturing the opportunities and mitigating the risks

Session 6

Closed meeting (side event): The impact of economic sanctions on health and health services in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: What are the real consequences?

Break

Meeting of the Drafting Committee

Parallel Meeting

Closed meeting: Foundation for the State of Kuwait Prize for the Control of Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Regional Director’s special event on the Investment Round followed by dinner

Thursday, 17 October 2024 – Regular sessions of RC71

Session 1

World Health Assembly and Executive Board follow-up – Governance and administrative matters

Review of the draft provisional agenda of the 156th session of the WHO Executive Board

Discussion

Update on implementation of the WHO Transformation Agenda in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Discussion

Nomination and appointment of Regional Directors: Review of the process for the election of Regional Directors

Discussion

Process of handling and investigating potential allegations against WHO Directors-General

Discussion

Session 2

Coordination of work of the Health Assembly, Executive Board and the Regional Committees

Resolutions and decisions of regional interest adopted by the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly and the Executive Board at its 154th and 155th sessions

Discussion

Break

Session 3

World Health Assembly and Executive Board – Programme and budget matters

Draft proposed programme budget 2026-2027

Discussion

WHO Investment Case 2025–2028 and latest on the WHO Investment Round

Discussion

Lunch break

Statement from the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region Staff Association (EMRSA)

Statement by the Association of Retired and Former WHO Staff in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR/RFS)

Session 4

Adoption of resolutions and decisions

Session 5

Closing session