Caribbean News

20 percent increase in WHO assessed contributions, Americas gets 1.2 percent raise from 2022-2023

Published

11 months ago

June 5, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

June 5, 2023 – Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the WHO Programme budget 2024-2025, which includes a 20% increase in assessed contributions. This now takes WHO’s global budget to $6,834.2 million of which the Americas will receive $313.7 million, a 1.2 percent increase from 2022-2023.

This will better facilitate the equal distribution of funds for the Americas as expressed by Dr. Jarbas Barbosa Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director.

“The Americas remains the most unequal region of the world, yet WHO covers a relatively small portion of PAHO’s operational costs,” he said.

He further added that ensuring equitable distribution of WHO funds is pivotal in meeting the urgent health needs of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The decision was made on Monday May 22, 2023, at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, lasting from May 21st to 30th, and came as PAHO Member States highlighted that the Americas needs increased financing and since less than three quarters of the approved budget for the Americas has been funded historically.

Barbosa continued to emphasize that “Sufficient and sustainable financing for the Region is key to addressing the health inequities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, pointed out that this marks to first time in the organization’s 75 year history, that a significant increase in assessed contributions has been made, and he expressed gratitude to the Member States for having confidence and trust in WHO, maintaining that the increase is symbolic of and reiterates his commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability and efficiency.

Additionally, the budgetary increase for the financial period will also aid WHO in supporting countries of the Americas in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals and the Organization’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13) “triple billion” targets:

One billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage,
One billion more people better protected from health emergencies,
One billion more people enjoying better health and well-being.

Related Topics:#magneticmedianews #TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus #who #whobudget #whoglobalbudget

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U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHINES AS A PREMIER DESTINATION AT THE 2024 SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL CONFERENCE

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April 22, 2024

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St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) –April 11, 2024—The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, led by Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, Assistant Commissioner Alani Henneman, and Deputy Commissioner RoseAnne Farrington, traveled to Miami, Florida, to support Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and other local partners agencies for the 2024 Seatrade Cruise Global Conference.

To kick off the week-long event, the Department of Tourism sponsored the highly anticipated Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) barbecue, which was hosted by Governor Bryan.

Revered as a steady leader in the Caribbean tourism industry, the USVI delegation, which also included the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Port Authority, West Indian Company Limited, Magens Bay Authority, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Government Employee Retirement System, showcased the territory and its growing accessibility around the cruise industry to key operators and businesses.

“Cruise has been and continues to be a leading entryway for visitors into the territory, and Seatrade allows representatives from the USVI to interface with and share pertinent updates needed to continue fostering positive relationships throughout the industry,” explains Commissioner Boschulte.

Commissioner Boschulte was featured on the Caribbean Spotlight panel moderated by renowned industry leader and FCCA CEO Michelle Paige, who referenced the Commissioner being named the 2023 Caribbean Tourism Executive of the Year by Caribbean Journal and shared how exceptional the publication’s acknowledgment of his accolades are. Paige referenced Caribbean Journal’s spotlight paragraph reading, “No Caribbean destination has seen more growth in the last three years than the U.S. Virgin Islands, which kicked off a full-fledged tourism renaissance just after the onset of the pandemic and hasn’t looked back. And so much of that growth can be directly tied to the expert stewardship of Boschulte, who helped craft an innovative, flexible response to the challenges of the pandemic and has continued to drive the USVI’s performance with a data-driven, creative approach to modern tourism.”

Commissioner Boschulte and Deputy Commissioner Farrington joined Governor Bryan for meetings with leading cruise lines, including Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Corporation & plc, amongst others, to discuss continued partnerships, expansion opportunities, and industry updates.

As the global cruise industry continues to restabilize following challenges incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Thomas and St. Croix experienced a 13% growth in 2023 over 2019, with West Indian Company Dock, Crown Bay Dock, and E. Abramson Marine Facility welcoming more than 1,600,000 passengers from 495 total calls for the year. With a 58% year-over-year passenger increase from 2022 to 2023, the USVI continues to grow and is projected to experience another 5% increase in cruise passenger arrivals in 2024.

Commissioner Boschulte also highlighted the remarkable success of the USVI and Caribbean region, stating, “I am proud to see the Caribbean’s appeal continue to captivate travelers. Our collaborative efforts with partners like FCCA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization underscore the unity of our region, ensuring unforgettable experiences for visitors while highlighting the unique strengths of the U.S. Virgin Islands. With a safe, welcoming destination and a shared commitment to tourism, we embrace our role as an integral part of the Caribbean community.”

For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/.