From August 24 to 28, 2026, Addis Ababa will host the Seventy-sixth Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa (RC76). Organized in partnership with the WHO Regional Office for Africa, this five-day high-level summit will focus on advancing universal health coverage (UHC) and strengthening emergency preparedness across the continent.
As the primary governing body of the WHO Regional Office for Africa, the Regional Committee convenes annually to evaluate strategic performance, establish overarching health policies, and define regional priorities. The upcoming RC76 session is projected to convene over 600 delegates, including health ministers and senior officials from the 47 Member States of the WHO African Region. They will be joined by global health authorities, international donors, development partners, and representatives from WHO headquarters and regional offices.
Against a backdrop of complex and evolving public health challenges, the agenda will concentrate on reinforcing vulnerable health systems, accelerating progress toward UHC, and enhancing regional health security. Participants will review past performance, debate innovative resolutions, and align collective strategies to optimize future emergency response mechanisms.
Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, WHO Representative to Ethiopia, the African Union, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), underscored the strategic significance of the summit. He noted that the gathering provides Member States with an essential platform to shape the continent’s health agenda, fortify cross-border partnerships, and accelerate the development of resilient communities. Furthermore, Professor Kasolo emphasized that Ethiopia’s host role reflects its steadfast commitment to regional cooperation.
For Ethiopia, hosting RC76 offers a strategic opportunity to highlight recent domestic healthcare achievements. The nation will showcase successful expansions of primary healthcare access and the effective containment of the Marburg virus disease outbreak, demonstrating an enhanced national capacity to manage acute health emergencies while pursuing long-term health objectives.
As Africa’s diplomatic capital and home to both the African Union and the UNECA, Addis Ababa provides an optimal, strategically integrated environment for high-level governance and policy coordination. The RC76 program transcends formal ministerial debates, incorporating a comprehensive schedule of technical discussions, specialized exhibitions, bilateral diplomatic meetings, and public engagement initiatives. These interactive sessions are designed to spotlight healthcare innovations, foster institutional knowledge sharing, and establish enduring partnerships.
