World Health Organization (WHO)

World Health Organization (WHO) was established on 7 April 1948. WHO is the coordinating agency on international health issues within the United Nations system. WHO experts prepare health guidelines and standards, and help countries to address public health issues. WHO also supports and promotes health research.

WHO has 194 member-states. The main bodies of the Organization are the World Health Assembly, Executive Board and Secretariat. WHO has 6 regional offices and 150 country offices.

The Organization is headed by the Director-General, who is nominated by the Executive Board and elected by the Assembly for five-year term.

On 1 July 2017, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was elected as the Director-General of WHO, succeeding Dr. Margaret Chan.

The Headquarters of WHO is located in Geneva.

Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO is the main international body for cooperation in the field of health for the Republic of Azerbaijan, which became the member of WHO on 2 October 1992. The cooperation between the country and WHO is realized through Organization’s Headquarters and its Regional Office for Europe. WHO also has a country office in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan actively participates in the relevant sessions of the World Health Assembly, Executive Board and Regional Office for Europe, as well as at other meetings being held within WHO. Visits of the representatives of WHO to Azerbaijan are being conducted on a regular basis.

Azerbaijan is constantly represented at the World Health Assembly and WHO Executive Board sessions by the delegation led by the Minister of Health. Within the framework of these sessions, along with multilateral negotiations, delegation of Azerbaijan holds meetings on enhancing cooperation in the field of health, improvement of health system and other health related issues with WHO Director-General, Director of WHO Regional Office for Europe, as well as with a number of other WHO officials.

Azerbaijan has been elected to various WHO bodies. During 59^th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe held on 14-17 September 2009 in Copenhagen the Republic of Azerbaijan was elected to the Standing Committee for the term 2009-2012.

During the 58^th session of the World Health Assembly held on 16-25 May 2005 in Geneva the Republic of Azerbaijan was elected to the Executive Board of WHO for the term 2005-2008.

Azerbaijan was also elected to the WHO Executive Board for the term 2012-2015.

Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan was elected the Vice-Chair of the Board at the 133^rd session of the Executive Board held on 29-30 May 2013.

The Cooperation Agreement (2012-2013) signed between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the WHO Regional Office for Europe defined following directions as the priority areas: strengthening health system and public health; non-communicable diseases; promotion of health and healthy life; communicable diseases; health security and environment; health information, health research and innovation. Number of projects on the improvement of health system, public health, prevention of maternal and infant mortality has been implemented and continue to be implemented by WHO in Azerbaijan.

Selected highlights:

• Mr. Marc Danzon, Director of WHO Regional Office for Europe visited Azerbaijan in 2000 and 2004.

• During the 58^th session of the World Health Assembly held on 16-25 May 2005 the Republic of Azerbaijan was elected as the member of the WHO Executive Board from European countries for the period of 2005-2008 (32 states from 192 WHO member-states were elected to the Executive Board).

• On 25-26 April 2006 WHO Director-General Dr. Lee Jong-wook paid official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan. During his visit Dr. Lee Jong-wook was received by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Meetings were held at the Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan and at the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Topics discussed during the visit included fighting against avian influenza and tuberculosis, increasing the role of persons with hearing disabilities in the society, perspectives of cooperation, prevention of the starvation and poverty, as well as reforms in the health sector.

• Delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan led by Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health, participated at the 119^th session of WHO Executive Board held on 6-8 November 2006 in Geneva and at the First Extraordinary meeting of World Health Assembly on 9 November 2006 in Geneva.

• On 17 May 2007, during the 60^th session of the World Health Assembly Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, First Lady of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO was awarded a prize of the World Health Organization for her great contributions to the protection and strengthening of mother, child and family health. The unanimous decision in this regard was adopted by the 120^th session of the Executive Committee of the Organization held in Geneva on 29 January 2007.

• Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva also met with WHO Director-General Mrs. Margaret Chan. Highly valuing Azerbaijan-WHO cooperation Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva stressed support of WHO in implementation of a number of projects, mentioned firm cooperation in fight with bird flu and realization of other programmes.

• On 30 January - 1 February 2008, Dr. Margaret Chan visited the Republic of Azerbaijan.

• During the 59^th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe held in Copenhagen, Denmark, 14-17 September 2009, Azerbaijan was elected to the Standing Committee for 3 years term.

• Delegation led by Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan participated at the 63^rd session of the World Health Assembly, held on 17-21 May 2010 in Geneva.

• 61^st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe held on 12-15 September 2011 in Baku with participation of more than 50 health ministers of the countries of European region is an important pattern of cooperation of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the WHO. During the meeting discussions were conducted and decisions were adopted on the global health challenges, the new European health policy document “Health 2020” was adopted, as well as the discussions were conducted and a number of decisions were taken on the documents about the strategic directions of health in XXI century, the social impact of health at the global level, the strengthening of health system in WHO European region, and strategy document on fighting against non-communicable diseases in Europe between 2012-2016 and numerous decisions were adopted. H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan attended the opening ceremony of the meeting.

• The 3^rd meeting of European Environment and Health Ministerial Board with the co-organization of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan and WHO was held on 16 November 2012 in Baku. The Director of WHO Regional Office for Europe Ms. Zsuzsanna Jakab and the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan delivered speeches at the meeting. Furthermore, during the meeting Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation informed the guests about the project “IDEA” (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) initiated by her in 2011.

• The 66^th session of World Health Assembly and the 133^rd session of Executive Board were held on 20-28 May 2013 and 29-30 May 2013 respectively. Azerbaijan was represented at the above-mentioned meetings by the delegation led by Dr. Oqtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan. During the meeting of the Executive Board Dr. Shiraliyev was elected the Vice-Chair of the Board.

• The 134^th and 135^th sessions of Executive Board and 67^th session of World Health Assembly were held on 20-25 January 2014, 26-27 May 2014 and 19-24 May 2014 respectively. Azerbaijan was represented at the above-mentioned meetings by the delegation led Dr. Oqtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

• The delegation led by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan attended the 136^th session of Executive Board held on 26 January - 3 February 2015 in Geneva.

• The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by the delegation led by Dr. Oqtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the 68^th session of the World Health Assembly, held on 18-26 May 2015 and at the 137^th session of the Executive Board, held on 27-28 May 2015 in Geneva.

• Amb. Vaqif Sadiqov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan met with Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization on 2 May 2016. During the meeting, the parties expressed their satisfaction with the level of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the WHO, and exchanged views on the further development of mutual cooperation.

• The Delegation led by Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan attended the 69^th session of the World Health Assembly held on 23-28 May 2016 in Geneva.

• The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by the delegation led by Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the 70^th session of the World Health Assembly, held on 22-31 May 2017. During the session Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ethiopia) was elected the new Director-General of the World Health Organization.

• On 27 October 2017, Amb. Vaqif Sadiqov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan paid a courtesy call to Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. During the meeting the state of relations between Azerbaijan and WHO and perspectives of future cooperation were discussed. Parties expressed their readiness to further strengthen and enhance the existing cooperation level.

• The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by the delegation led by Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the 71^st session of the World Health Assembly, held on 21-26 May 2018 in Geneva.

• Delegation led by the Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited Azerbaijan on 4-6 July 2018. During the visit WHO Director-General was received by H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. On 5 July 2018, Dr. Ghebreyesus participated and delivered an opening statement at the National Conference on Health Reforms in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals implementation. The Conference was followed by the signing ceremony of the Joint Statement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and World Health Organization.

• Within the visit WHO Director-General held meetings with the Deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chair of the National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development Mr. Ali Ahmadov, Minister of Health Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov.

• Within his working visit to Geneva on February 1^st, 2019 Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan had a meeting with Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.

• The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented by the delegation led by Dr. Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the 72^nd session of the World Health Assembly, held on 20-28 May 2019 in Geneva.

                                                                                                                         Updated: 03.07.2019