WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION EXECUTIVE BOARD 116th Session Provisional agenda item 5.1 EB116/14 20 May 2005
Guiding principles for strategic resource allocations Report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee to the 116th session of the Executive Board 1. The second meeting of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee was held in Geneva on 14 May 2005 under the chairmanship of Dr A.A. Yoosuf (Maldives) to consider, among other items, guiding principles for strategic resource allocations.1 2. Work on strategic resource allocation was presented within the context of proposed changes to the results-based managerial framework of WHO, of which it is an integral part. The Secretariat’s approach emphasizes the need to allocate resources against expected results.2 A validation mechanism would use objective criteria to cross-check the outcome of the results-based approach in order to ensure equity across regions and a focus on countries in greatest need, recognizing that WHO’s work is global and that the Organization should also be able to respond to emergencies, which may not only occur in least developed countries. 3. Several Committee members emphasized the need to ensure clear linkages between planning process, resource allocation for all sources of funding, and performance monitoring during implementation. However rationalized and objective the resource allocation process might be, there would and should always be a political dimension to it. 4. Two prerequisites were identified for successful implementation of the proposed approach. First, that the budgetary implications of Health Assembly resolutions and new priorities had to be made explicit. Second, that in view of the increasing share of voluntary contributions in WHO’s budget, clear rules were required better to manage their allocation across the Organization, within the medium-term strategic plan and the programme and operational budgets. Greater discipline was required from WHO – both Member States and the Secretariat – with regard to funding and implementation of the approved Programme budget. 5. The Committee recommended that the Executive Board should approve the process for the strategic allocation of resources.3 = = =
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For list of participants, see document A58/27. See document EB116/5. See document EB116/5, paragraphs 40 to 43.