The document summarizes reports from meetings of the Programme Subcommittee of the Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean. It outlines the current and incoming membership of the subcommittee and notes officers elected in February 2019. It also summarizes outcomes of meetings in February 2019 and October 2019, including discussions on engaging member states, finalizing agendas, and standardizing resolution formulation. Progress implementing resolutions from 2000-2017 and 2014-2017 is reviewed, with most resolutions still active.

1. Tehran,
Islamic Republic of Iran
14–17 October 20191
4th Report of the Programme Subcommittee of the
Regional Committee
66th Session of the Regional Committee for the
Eastern Mediterranean
14‒17 October 2019, Tehran

2. Current and Incoming Membership
Current Members 2019 Group 1: Libya, Morocco
Group2: Kuwait, Oman, Qatar
Group3: I.R.Iran, Jordan, Lebanon
Outgoing in 2020 Group 1: Libya
Group 2: Kuwait
Group 3: I.R. Iran, Jordan
Incoming 2020 Group 1: Tunisia
Group 2: Saudi Arabia
Group 3: Pakistan, Somalia
2

3. 5th Meeting of the Programme Subcommittee
20 - 21 February 2019, EMRO, Cairo
Officers elected for a duration of one year:
• Chair: Dr Mohammed Hamad J. Al Thani (Qatar)
• Vice-Chair: Dr Qamra Khamis Al Sariri (Oman)
• Rapporteur: Dr Hilda Harb (Lebanon)
3

4. 5th Meeting of the Programme Subcommittee
– Outcomes (February 20-21, 2019, EMRO, Cairo)
• Discussed ways to increase Member States engagement with
WHO governance
• Finalized the agenda for the 66th Session of the Regional
Committee (RC66) following a review of proposed topics
• Agreed on innovations to introduce at the RC66 (i.e., paperless RC,
exhibition, short videos)
• Agreed on standardizing resolution formulation, such as time
period and reporting progress to subsequent RCs
4

5. 5th Meeting of the Programme Subcommittee -
Review of status of resolutions
• 88 resolutions in all from the period 2000–2017
• Nearly two thirds (64%) were still active
• Proposed “SMART” resolutions with streamlined
reporting requirements and improved monitoring
5

6. 6
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Status of Implementation of RC Resolutions, 2000 – 2017 (N=88)
Complete sunset Active
64% Active

7. In 2019, World Health Assembly decision WHA72(22):
resolutions and decisions should provide for clear
reporting requirements, including reporting cycles of up to
six years, with biennial reports, unless otherwise advised by
the Director-General.”
7
6th Meeting of the Programme Subcommittee
14 October, 2019, Tehran, Iran

8. 8
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2014 2015 2016 2017
Status of Implementation of RC Resolutions, 2014 – 2017 (N=16)
Complete sunset Active
76% Active

9. 6th Meeting of the Programme Subcommittee
– Outcomes (October 14, 2019, Tehran, Iran)
• Noted with satisfaction the progress on implementing the decisions
and resolutions of the 65th session of the RC by WHO secretariat
• Encourages MSs to proactively engage with the Secretariat and
support implementing resolutions for optimal impact (i.e.,
allocation of resources, information and data sharing, reaching out
to otyer sectors including the private sector, etc.)
• 16 active resolutions for 2014 – 2017; Pre-2014 resolutions to be
revised to identify those that may require new resolutions
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10. 10