WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L'EUROPE
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО
Eighth High-level Meeting of the Small Countries /3
Initiative (SCI): Towards better health and well-being
in small countries in the WHO European Region
Becici, Montenegro 14 February 2022
2–3 June 2022 Original: English
Scope and purpose
Background
The Small Countries Initiative (SCI), established in 2013, is a platform through which 11 Member
States in the WHO European Region with populations of 2 million or fewer work together to
address and share experiences to help improve the health of the people in small countries in the
WHO European Region. The participating countries are Andorra, Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia,
Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino and Slovenia.
In 2021, in recognition of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, to pursue agile
transformation and innovation, and accelerate action to that end, the Small Countries Initiative
Roadmap towards better health in small countries of the WHO European Region, 2022–2025 was
developed. The Roadmap aims to: place health and well-being high on key political agendas;
advocate the needs of small countries at the regional and international levels; promote investment
for health and well-being, while leaving no one behind; build a solutions platform for better health
and resilient health systems; and measure progress. The Roadmap includes joint activities based
on the three pillars of the WHO European Programme of Work (2020–2025) – United Action for
Better Health in Europe, with a focus on COVID-19 recovery.
Each year, the high-level meeting provides an opportunity to discuss health agendas and joint
activities, and to leverage small countries’ common needs at the regional and international levels.
The Eighth High-level Meeting will focus on two important topics for small countries:
• Emergencies: long-term prevention and health system preparedness, response and
recovery; and
• Healthy and sustainable tourism.
Objectives
The proposed objectives of the Eighth High-level Meeting are to:
• discuss how to best strengthen health systems preparedness and response for emergencies
in small countries;
• strengthen the long-term health system response and recovery from emergencies; and
• discuss and support small countries’ commitment to placing health at the centre of
sustainable tourism.
The meeting will be hosted by the Ministry of Health of Montenegro and will last for one and a
half days.
Scope and purpose
page 2
Delegations
All 11 SCI members are requested to send a high-level delegation, headed by the Minister of
Health or equivalent, and accompanied by the SCI focal point. For the topic of healthy and
sustainable tourism, delegates from other relevant ministries will also be invited, following
discussion with the health ministry. Each delegation, headed by the Minister of Health or a
designated representative, would be welcome to bring additional delegates to participate as
observers in the Meeting, and to attend parallel technical meetings. Representatives of
international organizations, the European Union and selected stakeholders will also be invited to
the Meeting.
Saatja: NIKOLIC, Lazar <
[email protected]>
Saadetud: 15.02.2022 18:47
Adressaat: Tanel Kiik <
[email protected]>; Triin Uusberg
<
[email protected]>; Elen Ohov <
[email protected]>
Koopia: <
[email protected]>; <
[email protected]>; Elen Ohov
<
[email protected]>; Triin Uusberg <
[email protected]>; SM Info
<
[email protected]>; <
[email protected]>; <
[email protected]>;
<
[email protected]>; <
[email protected]>; KÖHLER, Kristina
<
[email protected]>
Teema: Invitation. WHO EURO Regional Director. Eighth High-level Meeting
of the Small Countries Initiative (SCI).
Please see the attached correspondence sent from the World Health
Organization, Regional Office for Europe. One or more attachments may be
included.Veuillez vous r¨¦f¨¦rer ¨¤ la correspondance ci-jointe du Bureau
r¨¦gional de l'Europe de l'Organisation mondiale de la sant¨¦. Une ou
plusieurs annexes peuvent ¨ºtre jointes.Mit der Bitte um Kenntnisnahme
der beiliegenden Korrespondenz (eine oder mehrere Anlagen),
Weltgesundheitsorganisation, Regionalb¨¹ro f¨¹r Europa.
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World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
European Office for Investment for Health and Development
Healty Settings Programme ¨C Small Countries Initiative
Ospedale Ss. Giovanni e Paolo,
Corridoio S. Domenico, 1st fl.
6777 Castello
30122 Venice, ITALY
+ 390412793842
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ 14 February 2022
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION
ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
Mr Tanel Kiik
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE Minister of Health and Labour
BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE Ministry of Social Affairs
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA
ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО Suur-Ameerika 1
Tallinn 10129
Head office: Estonia
UN City, Marmorvej 51,
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Email:
[email protected],
[email protected]
Email:
[email protected] [email protected]
Website: http://www.euro.who.int
Dear Sir,
Eighth High-level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative (SCI)
Towards better health and well-being in small countries in the WHO European Region
Becici, Montenegro, 2–3 June 2022
I am very pleased to invite you to participate in the Eighth High-level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative:
Towards better health and well-being in small countries in the WHO European Region, to be held from 2 to 3 June
2022, with the generous support of the Government of Montenegro.
Strengthening health systems preparedness and response to emergencies in small countries, and long-term health
system response and recovery from emergencies will be the leitmotiv of all major initiatives of the WHO Regional
Office for Europe in 2022 and the overarching theme of this High-level Meeting and of the 2022 Small Countries
Initiative Statement. The objectives of this meeting will also include discussing how to rebuild healthy and sustainable
tourism and opportunities for small countries, along with how to best support small countries in their commitment to
place health at the centre of sustainable tourism. The Eighth High-level Meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss
small country health agendas and joint activities and leverage joint needs.
Taking stock of the Initiative’s previous high-level meetings, I am pleased to propose a rich technical agenda which
positions this event as a unique platform where forward-thinking discussions will be held. The technical agenda is
fully in line with the strategic directions of the WHO Regional Office for Europe and with WHO’s Thirteenth General
Programme of Work, 2019–2023. I am pleased to confirm that I will attend the entire meeting.
Selected sessions of the High-level Meeting will be open to health professionals and to representatives of civil society
of Montenegro. Small countries’ health communications officers will also be invited to meet in Montenegro, to discuss
communication and outreach priorities.
The working language of the meeting will be English. Accommodation, airport transfers and all hospitality (nights
from 1 to 3 June) for two delegates from each Member State will generously be provided by the Government of
Montenegro. All delegations are kindly requested to arrive by the early afternoon of 1 June 2022. Kindly confirm the
composition of your delegation by 15 March 2022 to Dr Bettina Menne (email:
[email protected]) at the
WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development in Venice, Italy.
I look forward to continuing our collaboration on this unique initiative and to welcoming you to the Eighth High-
level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative in Montenegro.
Yours very truly,
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge
Regional Director
UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email:
[email protected]
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: http://www.euro.who.int
Denmark
Encls:
Scope and purpose
Provisional agenda
Copies for information to:
Dr Jelena Borovinić Bojović. Minister of Health, Ministry of Health, Rimski trg 46, PC Vektra, Podgorica 81000,
Montenegro, Email:
[email protected],
[email protected]
Ms Elen Ohov, Adviser, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of Social
Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, Tallinn 10122, Estonia, e-mail:
[email protected]
Ms Triin Uusberg, Head, European and International Coordination Department, Ministry of Social Affairs
Suur-Ameerika 1, Tallinn 10129, Estonia, e-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected]
H.E. Ms Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in
Geneva, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28A, Genève CH-1209, Switzerland, e-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected]
H.E. Mr William Mart Laanemäe, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of
Estonia, Frederiksgade 19, 4th floor, Copenhagen K 1265, Denmark, e-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected]
Ms Kristina Köhler, Liaison Officer, WHO Country Office, Estonia, Paldiski Road 81, Tallinn 10617, Estonia, e-
mail:
[email protected]
–2–
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L'EUROPE
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО
Eighth High-level Meeting of the Small Countries /3
Initiative: Towards better health and well-being in small
countries in the WHO European Region
Becici, Montenegro 14 February 2022
2–3 June 2022 Original: English
Provisional agenda
1. Opening of the Meeting
2. Long-term sustainable health systems preparedness, response, and recovery from
emergencies
a) COVID-19 response and developments towards sustainable COVID-19 control
b) Discussion on long-term emergency preparedness and response
c) Thematic spotlights
3. Healthy and sustainable tourism
a) Healthy and sustainable tourism in periods of post-emergency recovery
b) Discussion on long-term developments
4. Statement of the Eighth High-level Meeting of the Small Countries Initiative (Montenegro
Statement)
a) Presentation of the Montenegro Statement
b) Adoption
5. Next steps
6. Closure of the Meeting
7. Back-to-back: meeting of small countries’ health communications officers