In May the world participated in the 70th session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva which took place at the Palais des Nations, between May 22 and 31. Lebanon was represented by two delegates from the Ministry of Public health this year, the Director General, Professor Walid Ammar, and the Head of Statistics Department, Ms Hilda Harb, in addition to the delegates who joined as usual from the Permanent Mission in Geneva, HE Ambassador Najla Ryachi Assaker and Ms Rana El Khoury. Lebanon actively participated in all committees’ deliberations and side events concerning important public health topics like Health in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, Cancer control as part of an integrated approach, the global vaccine action plan, International health regulations, and WHO Health emergencies program. This year, HE Ambasador Assaker delivered a speech to the General Committee on this year’s theme which was on health in the sustainable development agenda. Worth noting that Professor Ammar is a member of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee of WHO’s health emergencies program aiming at providing oversight and monitoring of the development and performance of the Program and guiding the Program’s activities.

Moreover, this year, Member States have elected a new Director General of the WHO who is Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus from Ethiopia for a five year mandate.

Nine resolutions and 16 decisions were considered and approved, including a resolution on the appreciation of the outgoing Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr Alaa Alwan.