WHO EMRO | Address by Dr Hanan Balkhy Regional Director WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to the Second Healthy Cities Conference in Kuwait | News

10 February 2025 

Your Excellency Dr Ahmad Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi,

Minister of Health of Kuwait,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to join you here today at Kuwait’s second conference on Healthy Cities.

Our health is impacted by where and how we live, and most of us live in cities. More than 60 per cent of the Arab population live in urban centres. So urban health matters.

A Healthy City supports health and a good quality of life through access to health care, sanitation and hygiene.

WHO’s global Healthy Cities programme has been active for more than 20 years and our regional Healthy Cities network counts 121 cities in 15 countries.

In Kuwait, 18 cities are a part of this network and, impressively, seven Kuwaiti cities have already received WHO certification as Healthy Cities. In 2024, Kuwait University was officially recognized by WHO as a Health Promoting University.

Kuwait is fast becoming a regional leader in promoting urban environments that support health, sustainability and community resilience.

Across our region, Healthy Cities are driving innovation for public health through initiatives that range from creating safer streets to implementing efficient waste management systems and improving access to health care.

Healthy Cities have a proven, measurable, positive impact on climate change by reducing pollution, promoting green spaces and encouraging healthy lifestyles. They also contribute to preventing risk factors, including tobacco consumption, physical inactivity and substance use.

We should all take pride in this progress.

Over the next two days, we will hear from leading global and regional experts about how they are driving this change and what it means for ordinary people.

Participating cities are experiencing progress across 80 indicators of the Healthy Cities Programme. These indicators cut across domains such as community participation, environmental health, education, social development, and more.

I am thrilled to see so many representatives from across the GCC here today, sharing best practice and renewing your commitment to building vibrant, healthy, equitable and sustainable cities for our people and future generations.

WHO remains committed to supporting you on this journey towards better urban health.

Thank you.