Kuwait, 15 June 2021 – The World Health Organization (WHO) today opened a Country Office in Kuwait in a move set to strengthen its presence and cooperation with the Government to support its efforts in advancing the health and well-being of the country’s population. The newly established office will enable WHO to work on the ground with United Nations agencies, partners, the authorities, and other stakeholders in health, development and other sectors to foster public health collaboration at the national, regional and international levels.

 

Kuwait has long been an influential and strategic Member State and partner for WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Kuwait contributed to and enhanced the global and regional response to the COVID-19, while the Ministry of Health led a well-coordinated multisectoral response to the pandemic within the country and strengthened national capacity across all levels of government.

 

The Minister of Health of Kuwait, Dr Bassel Humoud Hamad Al-Sabah, formally inaugurated WHO’s new premises in Kuwait City in a ceremony, in presence of HE Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Majdi AlDhafiri. The ceremony was attended virtually by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, and was hosted by the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, Dr. Tarek El-Sheikh, and WHO’s Representative in Kuwait, Dr Assad Hafeez.

 

The opening of the Kuwait Country Office reflects the critical importance of close contact with states and governments in WHO’s work. Country offices represent a link between the Organization and governments. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region comprises 22 countries and territories, most of which have a presence on the ground: the opening of the Kuwait Country Office brings the number of WHO country offices in the Region to 19. WHO country offices play a key role within the Organization in ensuring appropriate WHO technical cooperation with countries and leadership in the health sector. Functions of country offices include: policy advice and technical support; information, public relations and advocacy; and management and administration.