World leaders pledge over $170 million to WHO

World leaders pledged over $170 million to WHO at the 2025 World Health Assembly in Geneva, reinforcing global support for multilateral health efforts.

The funds will back WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work, aiming to save 40 million lives by 2028. Earlier, member states approved a $90 million annual increase in assessed contributions, marking progress toward sustainable financing.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the importance of these commitments, saying they prove multilateralism remains strong amid global health challenges.

The pledging event included donations from countries like Angola, China, Qatar, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as philanthropic groups such as ELMA Philanthropies, the Nippon Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, which added $13 million.

Eight donors provided flexible funding—the most valuable type—and four contributed for the first time. WHO also expanded fundraising through the One World Movement, with nearly 8,000 global citizens donating close to $600,000.

Speakers stressed the need for flexible, diverse funding to keep WHO agile and aligned with national health goals.

This event marks a key step toward WHO’s goal of sustainable financing, bringing the world closer to “One World for Health.”

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