In a notable display of continental solidarity and international backing, 14 African countries and several key partners have pledged more than US$45 million to the World Health Organization's first Investment Round, an initiative designed to secure more stable financing for the agency's core work over the next four years.
The commitments were announced during the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, where heads of state and government from across the continent framed the pledges as an investment not only in the United Nations health agency, but in the resilience of health systems facing overlapping crises. The move comes just three months after the Investment Round was launched and gives early momentum to a campaign intended to reduce WHO's dependence on unpredictable funding streams.
The countries making commitments included Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania. Together with partners from philanthropy, development finance and the private sector, they signaled support for a more sustainably financed WHO that can better support countries in delivering health services, preventing disease and responding to emergencies.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the pledges as a strong endorsement of the organization's reform effort. "I thank our African Region Member States for actively supporting WHO's first Investment Round to mobilize predictable and flexible resources needed for our core work over the next four years," he said. "Full, sustainable funding will enable WHO to support countries better in their work to build healthier, more resilient, and more prosperous populations."
The WHO says the Investment Round, launched at the World Health Assembly in May 2024, is meant to generate contributions that are flexible, predictable and resilient. That means donors are being asked not only to give, but to do so in a way that aligns with WHO's strategy as approved by its member states, arrives at the start of the four-year budget cycle, and comes from a broader and more diverse donor base. For an organization that sits at the center of the global health architecture, the effort is intended to provide the kind of financial certainty that can support long-term planning rather than short-term crisis management.
The pledges also reflect a wider political message from African leaders that health financing is inseparable from development, security and economic stability. Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said the region's support carries significance well beyond the immediate dollar amount. "A strong, predictable and sustainably financed WHO is essential for our region and the world to meet the multiple health threats we face; and support the prevention of disease based on the vast evidence at our disposal," she said. "Every pledge and every partnership counts. Together, we can achieve a future where health and well-being are accessible to all."
Among the partners joining member states in making commitments or indicating future pledges were the Helmsley Charitable Trust, World Diabetes Foundation, Roche, Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the African Development Bank and the WHO Foundation. Their participation broadens the donor coalition behind the initiative and highlights the blend of public, philanthropic and institutional support WHO is seeking to build.
The timing of the announcement is significant. Global health systems continue to face pressure from infectious disease outbreaks, chronic disease burdens, climate-related health risks and fragile health infrastructure in many low- and middle-income countries. In that context, WHO's ability to provide technical guidance, coordinate responses and help countries strengthen their systems depends heavily on whether its financing can become more reliable and less fragmented.
The Investment Round is expected to continue over the coming months, with additional pledging moments planned around the world. WHO officials are hoping the African commitments will help set the tone for a broader global effort, demonstrating that member states and partners alike see the agency's financial stability as a shared responsibility. For now, the more than US$45 million pledged in Africa represents both a practical contribution and a political signal: that support for multilateral health cooperation remains alive, and that many governments and institutions still view a well-funded WHO as indispensable to global health security.