A delegation from the Government of Timor-Leste, led by the Minister of Health, Odete Maria Freitas Belo, is participating in the 152nd session of the Executive Board (EB152) of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is taking place between January 30th and February 7th, in Geneva, Switzerland.
The WHO Executive Board is comprised of 34 technically qualified experts in health, each appointed by a Member State elected by the World Health Assembly. Member States are elected for three-year terms. 
Timor-Leste is a member of the WHO Executive Board for 2021 to 2024, represented by Minister Odete Belo.
The WHO Executive Board is responsible for setting the agenda discussed at the World Health Assembly in May. The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO, responsible for WHO policies, programmes and budgets and for electing the Director General.
WHO EB152 is a crucial opportunity to discuss non-infectious disease prevention and the political commitment of member States to reducing disease in the world’s populations.
In the opening session, the WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, presented the findings of the organisation’s latest report and praised the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste for its political commitment to the prevention of non-infectious diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, among others, with the recent increase in taxes on tobacco, alcohol, sugar, and sugary drinks.
Speaking at the first session of the meeting, Minister Odete Belo thanked the WHO Director General for his positive appreciation of Timor-Leste and acknowledged the WHO Regional Director for Southeast Asia for supporting Timor-Leste.
The Minister of Health also presented the national commitment to strengthen the National Health System, highlighting Timor-Leste’s work to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the responsibility to ensure the implementation of the Global, Regional and National Health Policy to achieve Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals.