Luxembourg and WHO sign two strategic agreements

20 December 2024 was a crucial moment for Luxembourg in supporting WHO and strengthening global public health, to make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in 2025–2028. A Strategic Partnership Framework (SPF) with the Ministry of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs was signed amounting to €46.5 million – the largest-ever agreement WHO has had with Luxembourg. Furthermore, the first-ever multiyear agreement with the Ministry of Health and Social Safety €1 million was launched, as the country’s first voluntary contribution to WHO.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General greets with Luxembourg's Martine Deprez, Minister of Health and Social Safety and Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation and Foreign Trade. © MAE Luxembourg

“From now till 2028, this contribution will help finance priority areas in Luxembourg’s collaboration with WHO” said Martine Deprez, Minister of Health and Social Safety during the bilateral meeting, “notably for sanitary crisis preparedness and response and the fight against health inequalities, with a special focus on gender.”

The amount of €46.5 million contains fully flexible and thematic funding, and allocations for the Universal Health Coverage Partnership, tropical disease research and polio eradication. The fully flexible funding enables WHO to allocate the money to the areas of highest need.

“By signing two new partnership agreements, we have reaffirmed Luxembourg's continued support for the WHO and its mission,” said Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation and Foreign Trade. “This reflects our strong commitment to promoting global health and multilateralism. We launch these agreements with WHO because we believe the best way to avoid is to prevent.”