Honourable Ministers Nisia Trindade Lima, Mauro Vieira and Fernando Haddad,
Ambassador Alexandre Ghisleni,
Honourable ministers, dear colleagues and friends,
Good morning, bom dia a todos, and I'm really sorry I can't be with you in person, as I had planned to be.
I thank Brazil and my friend Minister Nisia Trindade for hosting this event, which is a first for both the G20 and WHO - the first time a G20 Presidency has offered us its platform for an event dedicated to WHO and its work.
Thank you also for your work this week, which highlights both the challenges and the opportunities of global health, in pandemic preparedness and response, digital health, health equity, and climate change and health.
Each of these pressing issues is a priority in the world's global health strategy for the next four years: the 14th General Programme of Work, which all WHO Member States adopted at this year's World Health Assembly.
GPW14 is an ambitious plan to save 40 million lives over four years.
For any plan to be successful, it needs resources.
That's what the Investment Round is about - mobilizing the predictable and flexible financing we need, from a broad base of donors, to serve the countries of the world to promote, provide and protect the health of their people.
The Investment Round aims to mobilize 7 billion U.S. dollars, out of a total budget of 11 billion dollars for the next four years.
Let me put that in context for you. 7 billion dollars is the equivalent of global defence spending every single day.
We are seeking the same amount for four years, to make the world a healthier and safer place.
Compared to global defence spending, this amount is frankly a rounding error.
I have asked every Member State and partner to participate in the investment round, according to its means.
So far, we have 63 pledges, worth more than one billion US dollars.
Of these pledges, more than half are from first-time voluntary contributors, including many from the African, Western Pacific and Southeast Asian regions.
Every contribution counts. Some of the world's poorest countries have pledged, because they see first-hand the difference that WHO makes.
I am grateful to the Member States and partners at this meeting who have pledged so far: Germany, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Türkiye, the European Union, and the Wellcome Trust.
Predictable and flexible financing for WHO is not charity. It's an investment in more productive populations, safer societies, and stronger economies.
In 2021, you created the G20 Joint Finance and Health Task Force, recognizing the need for finance and health to work closely together to protect societies and economies from the impact of pandemics.
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The Investment Round is an opportunity for G20 countries to come together in solidarity once again to ensure that WHO has the resources it needs to fulfil its irreplaceable mission and mandate.
I look forward to further pledges and to President Lula announcing the total commitments made so far at the G20 Leaders' Summit on the 18th and 19th of November.
Once again, my thanks to Brazil for its strong support as chair of the G20, as well as France, Germany, Indonesia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mauritania on behalf of the African Union, Norway, South Africa, and other champions.
I look forward to our continued partnership as we work together to promote, provide and protect the health of the world's people.
I thank you. Obrigado.
