About partnerships

WHO/Europe is committed to strengthening its collaboration with key existing partners, approaching new ones and making sure that agreements are implemented effectively. Building, consolidating and strengthening WHO/Europe’s partnerships are vital for the implementation of the European Programme of Work - “United Action for Better Health in Europe”. Furthermore, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals provide new opportunities for health to dialogue with new sectors and partners, and to build coherence across policies, actions, and interventions.

WHO/Europe has established and institutionalized a series of strategic partnerships for health. Key partners in the European Region are United Nations organizations, funds and agencies, the European Union (EU) and its institutions, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. In addition, WHO/Europe engages in partnerships with various Regional Organizations. Partnerships are ongoing at multiple levels, including political and technical levels as well as in-country collaboration.

WHO further engages with various non-State actors, including nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector. The policies governing the different engagements with these non-State actors are outlined in the ‘Framework of engagement with non-State actors’ (FENSA), which has been adopted by the 69th World Health Assembly in 2016.