Luxembourg and WHO Sign Landmark Strategic Partnership for Global Health

Luxembourg signed two strategic agreements with the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 20, 2024, committing millions to global public health initiatives through 2028. The funding includes a €46.5 million Strategic Partnership Framework (SPF) with the Ministry of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs and a €1 million voluntary contribution from the Ministry of Health and Social Safety.

The €46.5 million SPF represents the largest agreement the WHO has ever held with Luxembourg, according to the organization. This funding is divided between thematic allocations and fully flexible funding, which the WHO says allows it to direct resources to the areas of highest need.

Specific allocations within the SPF include support for polio eradication, tropical disease research, and the Universal Health Coverage Partnership. The framework also funds the WHO’s core work in creating the technical guidelines, norms, and standards that various countries rely on.

The second agreement, a €1 million multiyear commitment from the Ministry of Health and Social Safety, marks the country’s first voluntary contribution to the WHO.

Priorities for Health Equality and Crisis Response

The new funding focuses on reducing health disparities and preparing for future medical emergencies. Martine Deprez, Luxembourg’s Minister of Health and Social Safety, stated during a bilateral meeting that the contributions will finance priority areas through 2028.

notably for sanitary crisis preparedness and response and the fight against health inequalities, with a special focus on gender.
Martine Deprez, Minister of Health and Social Safety

These agreements align with efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goals for the 2025–2028 period. Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation and Foreign Trade, said the agreements reflect a commitment to multilateralism and the belief that the best way to avoid is to prevent.

International Solidarity and Global Health Impact

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted the timing of the signing, which occurred on the International Day of Solidarity. He described the agreements as a statement of solidarity with both the WHO and the people of the world.

The partnership focuses on three primary pillars: promoting, providing, and protecting health. By providing flexible funding, Luxembourg enables the WHO to allocate the money to the areas of highest need.