GENEVA, Switzerland – The Netherlands strengthened its longstanding engagement with WHO on Monday with the renewal of the multiannual contribution of the Dutch ministry of health, welfare and sport to WHO for €13.34 million for 2024–2028 and for €6 million to the technical partnership with Dutch WHO collaborating centres.
With the new contribution, the Netherlands reaffirmed its position as a key supporter and strategic partner of WHO and a leading donor of flexible and predictable resources to WHO.
“Amid increasingly complex and connected threats, from pandemics and climate change to conflicts, the Netherlands remains an essential supporter of WHO and global public health,” said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the agreement signing.
“The ministry of health, welfare and sport’s new contribution reflects the Netherland’s commitment to its long partnership with WHO, and its support of the sustainable financing for WHO that Member States have agreed. This will enable WHO to respond quickly to global health challenges, and strengthen public health worldwide, including in the Netherlands.”
Dutch minister of health, welfare and sport Ernst Kuipers added that “the Netherlands values our strong and long-standing relationship with WHO. Given the global challenges we collectively face, and the added value the Netherlands can deliver, we believe this renewed arrangement with long-term flexible funds well represents our commitment to advancing health worldwide. These funds will be used to achieve our shared priorities in the WHO’s general programme of work, facilitate the secondment of Dutch experts, and to support the Dutch WHO collaborating centres.”
The Netherlands recently recommitted to its role as a leading voice for global health through its Dutch Global Health Strategy 2023-2030. The strategy aims to strengthen health systems at home and worldwide, better prepare for pandemics and address the impact of climate change on public health.
The Netherlands’ ministry of health, welfare and sport has provided for many years critical financial and technical support to WHO’s efforts to strengthen health security, improve the capacities of countries to address health emergencies, fight antimicrobial resistance, promote access to medicines, and support food safety, tobacco control and mental health.
The renewed partnership expands the joint work of the Netherlands and WHO into new global health challenges, such as those posed by climate change.
The interconnection between the health of the Earth and human health makes climate change a fundamental threat to decades of progress on health. The joint work of the Netherlands and WHO aims to make healthcare more climate resilient and sustainable while mainstreaming health into internal climate policies.
The Netherlands also funds crucial activities in sexual and reproductive health, water and sanitation, mental health in emergencies, emergency preparedness, tuberculosis, One Health, primary health care and antimicrobial resistance, while facilitating cooperation with top Dutch institutions.
Between 2022 and 2023, the Netherlands provided US$ 80 million to WHO, including over US$ 66 million in voluntary contributions.
The Netherlands also contributed over US$ 20 million in flexible and thematic funding to WHO, making it the third-largest flexible contributor to the Organization. Such support allows WHO to be agile and strategic in its efforts to help countries improve the health and well-being of their populations.
