GERMANY – The World Health Organization (WHO) successfully secured US $1 billion in pledges at its first-ever European Investment Round, marking a significant milestone in its campaign to overhaul its funding structure.
Held on the sidelines of the World Health Summit in Berlin, the event gathered key European leaders, philanthropies, and global health stakeholders to ensure long-term financial sustainability for the UN health agency.
The pledged amount includes US $700 million in new commitments from European countries and philanthropic organizations, with the remaining US $300 million coming from earlier commitments made by the European Union and African Union.
This initiative is part of WHO’s broader effort to raise US $7.4 billion by the next World Health Assembly in May 2025.
“Sustainable financing is key” – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a key figure at the summit, emphasized the importance of stable and predictable funding for WHO to effectively combat global health threats.
“The WHO’s work benefits us all. What it needs for this work is sustainable financing that gives it the certainty to plan ahead and the flexibility to react,” Scholz said.
“With the money we collect at this pledging event today, we can enable many women, men, and above all, children to live healthier lives.”
Scholz’s remarks underscored the event’s central message: that financial certainty is crucial for WHO to tackle interconnected health crises such as pandemics, noncommunicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and the impact of climate change.
“For far too long, WHO has operated with unpredictable funding” – Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the long-standing funding issues that have hampered the organization’s ability to respond to global health emergencies.
He noted that the pledges secured during the Berlin event are a significant step toward sustainable financing.
“For far too long, WHO has operated with unpredictable, inflexible, unsustainable funding,” Tedros stated. “That prevents us from delivering the long-term support that countries need.”
WHO’s current four-year strategy, known as the 14th General Program of Work (GPW-14), outlines a plan to save over 40 million lives by addressing health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strengthening health systems, and enhancing emergency responses.
However, to implement this ambitious plan, WHO still needs to raise an additional US $6.4 billion to close the gap.
“Tonight, we have taken a huge step toward mobilizing the resources we need to implement that plan,” Tedros added, stressing the importance of continued efforts to secure the remaining funds.
European nations lead the way, but more donors needed
Germany led the way at the summit, pledging US $360 million, followed by the European Union with US $250 million, Norway with US $100 million, and Ireland with US $30 million.
Combined, these unrestricted funds surpass WHO’s entire 2022-2023 budget for critical health initiatives.
Smaller nations like Montenegro also stepped up, with the country making its first-ever contribution of US $80,000 to WHO.
However, several key European donors, including Spain, the UK, and France, have yet to announce their commitments, indicating that more pledges could be forthcoming in the following months.
“We would go into a dramatically bad crisis if U.S. support were withdrawn again,” Catharina Boehme, who heads WHO’s investment drive, warned, referencing concerns about potential shifts in U.S. contributions depending on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
WHO seeks to secure long-term, flexible funding
WHO’s current funding model is heavily reliant on voluntary contributions from member states and private donors, with many of these funds earmarked for specific projects.
As a result, the organization struggles with financial predictability, hampering its ability to respond flexibly to global health emergencies.
The investment round aims to change this by encouraging more sustainable, unrestricted funding.
“This strategy is designed to mobilize upfront the predictable and sustainable funding we need over the next four years,” Tedros said.
“It’s also designed to put WHO on a more stable financial footing, so we are less reliant on a handful of large donors.”
In 2022-2023, only 4.1% of WHO’s voluntary contributions were fully flexible, and just 14 funders provided flexible funding.
By 2030, WHO aims for member fees to cover 50% of its budget, up from the current 30%, significantly reducing reliance on voluntary contributions.
Future funding rounds planned globally
The Berlin summit is only the first step in WHO’s global fundraising drive. Additional investment rounds are planned across other regions, including Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.
Donors from Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Gulf nations are expected to help WHO close the US $6.4 billion funding gap for its GPW-14 strategy.
As WHO embarks on this global campaign for sustainable financing, the pledges secured at the World Health Summit represent a significant step forward.
But the work is far from over, as the organization continues to advocate for more flexible and long-term funding that will allow it to better serve global health needs.
“The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that when health is at risk, everything is at risk,” Tedros concluded.
“Investments in WHO are investments in not only protecting health but in creating more equitable, stable, and secure societies worldwide.”
