“The UN system must undergo reforms in line with the changing world,” Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a panel discussion held as part of the 13th Global Baku Forum, APA reports.
He noted that although the multilateral system has made certain progress, some UN structures and governance mechanisms are still based on the post–World War II period when the organization was established.
The director-general pointed out that major multilateral institutions are not known for flexible and rapid decision-making. According to him, although member states’ decision-making processes form the basis of multilateral cooperation, these processes are often not fast.
Ghebreyesus stated that global shocks in recent years have accelerated the implementation of some necessary reforms. According to him, some of these changes had already begun earlier, but the process had been progressing quite slowly.
The WHO chief recalled that when he assumed office in 2017, the most extensive reform program in the organization’s history was launched. Within this framework, it was identified that the organization’s excessive financial dependence on a limited number of donors posed a serious risk, and steps were taken to address this issue.
He noted that in 2022, WHO member states approved a gradual increase in the share of mandatory membership contributions in the base budget from 14% to 50%.
The director-general added that member states have also launched a governance reform process to improve the global health governance system.
Ghebreyesus stressed that the aim of the reforms is not merely to preserve institutions, but to maintain the ability for collective action against common threats in a fragmented world.
According to him, the success of the UN directly depends on the extent to which member states adhere to the organization’s charter and the rules they have adopted.
“The UN has earned great trust over 80 years, but that trust must be earned again every day. Everyone who believes in the UN must work to preserve this trust,” the WHO chief said.
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