Honourable ministers,
Lord Crisp,
The Right Honourable Sir Andrew Mitchell,
Mr Ben Simms,
Our Regional Director Mohamed Janabi,
Distinguished guests, dear colleagues and friends,
Thank you very much for the invitation to address you today.
I also recognize the many distinguished leaders joining this Summit, including ministers of health from across Africa, parliamentarians, global health partners, and representatives of the diaspora whose expertise and commitment continue to strengthen health systems both in the UK and globally.
I would also like to acknowledge Professor Sir Eldryd Parry, who I have known for many years, starting from my time at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
I very much appreciated his commitment to capacity building in Africa.
In founding THET, Sir Eldryd made a huge contribution to many developing countries.
I’m very pleased that his legacy is now continuing through the work of Global Health Partnerships.
Throughout his career, Sir Eldryd championed a model of global health rooted in humility, mutual respect, and long‑term partnership.
He believed that strengthening institutions and people mattered more than short‑term interventions – a principle that remains central to effective global health cooperation today.
It is stating the obvious to say that we are living through a period of profound challenges for global health and our world:
Escalating conflict and insecurity, widening inequities, critical shortages of health and care workers, growing pressures on health systems, severe cuts in financing for global health – I could go on and on.
These pressures are not abstract. They are felt every day by people, health workers and leaders like yourselves in every region.
These challenges are deeply interconnected, and so must be our response.
None of us can address them alone. Partnership is not optional in global health. It is essential.
For many years, Global Health Partnerships and its partners have demonstrated what effective, ethical, and mutually beneficial collaboration can look like.
When health workers learn and act globally, they improve care locally, wherever they serve.
When health systems are connected through trust, shared learning, and long‑term commitment, everyone benefits.
There are no “donors” and “recipients” in this model – only partners, each with knowledge, experience, and expertise to share.
One of the key challenges we face globally is addressing the shortage of health and care workers.
The WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel is the agreed international framework for managing migration of health workers in ways that benefit the health systems of source country, destination country and health workers themselves.
International mobility brings real benefits, including for high‑income countries such as the United Kingdom.
But without responsible recruitment, co‑investment, and strong protections for health workers, it can also deepen inequities and weaken health systems elsewhere.
A fairer and more proportionate approach is not only a moral imperative – it is essential for global health security.
In 2023, WHO convened the 5th Global Forum on Human Resources for Health to bring together policymakers from around the world to focus on this issue.
At that meeting, a suggestion emerged for the high-income countries that are the largest destination markets for migrant health workers to engage in a policy dialogue on additional actions to implement the code.
I therefore warmly welcome the launch today of the report and recommendations of the All‑Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health and Security, chaired by the Honourable Dr Beccy Cooper.
Its focus on fair, ethical, and mutually beneficial health‑worker mobility speaks directly to one of the defining issues of our time.
This report is timely ahead of this year’s World Health Assembly, which will consider the findings of an Expert Advisory Group review of the code.
WHO remains firmly committed to this agenda. We will continue to support countries to strengthen their health systems as part of their journey towards universal health coverage.
At the same time, WHO itself is navigating a period of change. Like many of you, we are adapting to financial constraints while maintaining our core mission and our capacity to lead.
We are reforming to remain agile, focused, and effective – not retreating from our responsibilities, but reinforcing them.
Leaner, but more effective and efficient.
In times of uncertainty, the world needs a strong, trusted, and independent World Health Organization more than ever.
I thank all of you for your leadership, your partnership, and your determination to work together across borders.
If we continue to act in solidarity – learning from one another and investing in people – we can shape a healthier, safer, and fairer future for everyone, everywhere.
I thank you.