Summary

Norway’s overall objective for its term on the World Health Organization’s Executive Board is to support the organization’s work on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on health and well-being (SDG 3). The Norwegian strategy is based on several principles, including the importance of the multilateral system, respect for international law, human rights, gender equality and combating inequality and poverty. The right to health and good quality of life, gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as the right to assistance for vulnerable populations – including in humanitarian crises – are particularly important.

The three main priorities during Norway’s term on the WHO Executive Board are the follwing :

• Good governance: Norway will work towards better management of the World Health Organization by its Member States and Secretariat, by contributing to more sustainable funding and more efficient and accountable governance. Efforts to improve funding will focus on securing an increase in assessed contributions and supporting implementation of the Investment Round. To improve governance, Norway will play an active role in supporting the implementation of ongoing reforms for more transparency and accountability, as well as better risk management, oversight and ethical practices. This includes ensuring sound financial and resource management, prevention of fraud and corruption, and an improved organisational culture. Norway will support WHO to achieve its objectives, in line with the work programme and in its role as a normative, globally cooperative, development-oriented and humanitarian actor.
• Achieving universal health coverage: Norway will continue to work for coordinated global action to support countries’ path towards UHC, and to support WHO in efforts to strengthen national health systems, with the aim of ensuring fair and equitable access to essential health services for all. Particular attention will be given to the establishment of robust primary healthcare with integrated services, including for non-communicable diseases, that can withstand the effects of climate and environmental changes. This includes preventative measures, and the need for capacities and systems for prevention, notification, preparedness and crisis management – to ensure readiness for all types of humanitarian crises including those caused by infectious diseases. To achieve the goal of universal health coverage (UHC) and strong health systems, it is vital that countries have access to sufficient qualified health personnel, essential medicines and vaccines. Norway will promote WHO’s leadership role in these areas.
• Better preparedness and response to health and humanitarian crisis: Norway will contribute to strengthening global efforts to prevent and manage public health events, and to ensuring access to essential health services in humanitarian crises. Norway will contribute to finalizing the negotiations on the pandemic agreement, promote the integration of the One Health approach at all levels of society, pursue efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance, and strengthen the knowledge base on non-pharmacological infection control measures. Norway will play an active role in securing sufficient support and resources to ensure that life-saving services continue to be a central part of WHO’s humanitarian efforts, and in ensuring that acute crises are met with the necessary emergency response. Norway will support WHO in fulfilling its mandate, and in carrying out its coordination role in the global health landscape as effectively as possible.