Oman Hosts Global Health and Peace Dialogue at UNGA

New York, The Gulf Observer: The Sultanate of Oman on Wednesday hosted a high-level international dialogue on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in partnership with Finland, Somalia, Sudan, Switzerland, and Yemen. The event, titled the Global Health and Peace Initiative (GHPI), was held at the UN headquarters in New York.

In his keynote address, Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, Oman’s Minister of Health, highlighted the Sultanate’s longstanding commitment to dialogue, understanding, and cooperation as central pillars of its foreign policy. He underscored that health can serve as a bridge to peace, fostering community cohesion, mutual trust, and resilience in conflict-affected regions.

Dr. Al Sabti reiterated Oman’s dedication to implementing the roadmap of the Health for Peace Initiative and embedding the “Health and Peace” approach across programs to ensure inclusivity, equity, participation, and sustainability. He emphasized that WHO-led initiatives should aim not only to save lives but also to strengthen social cohesion and stability.

“The region, like many parts of the world, continues to face the repercussions of prolonged conflicts and recurrent emergencies, leading to displacement, weakened health systems, and deteriorating health conditions for millions,” the minister noted. He added that achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals in such contexts requires responses tailored to mitigate challenges while enhancing the capacity to deliver essential assistance.

Dr. Al Sabti affirmed Oman’s role as a bridge between nations, fostering dialogue and transforming shared challenges into opportunities for a healthier and more peaceful world.

The dialogue featured presentations from international experts and representatives on the health-peace nexus. Dr. Abdullah Hamoud Al Harthi, Advisor to the Minister for International Cooperation, opened the program with a presentation on Oman’s contributions to health and peace. Elizabeth Spehar, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, outlined the work of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA).

Dr. Mohammed Yaqub Genawi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, addressed the relationship between health and peace, while Dr. Asmus Hammerich, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases at WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, highlighted the role of the Global Health and Peace Initiative in emergency settings. Dr. Inma Vazquez, Head of Humanitarian Diplomacy at Médecins Sans Frontières, discussed the protection of healthcare and health workers during conflicts. The program concluded with a visual presentation by Dr. Beth Stinchcombe of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) on the role of youth in advancing the GHPI.

The event resulted in new commitments to integrate health and peace into national and international policies and submitted a set of recommendations to the UN General Assembly supporting the global health and peace agenda.

The GHPI, launched jointly by Oman and Switzerland in November 2019, aims to strengthen the links between health programs and peacebuilding efforts. Following multi-stakeholder consultations in Geneva, a WHO Member States resolution on the initiative was adopted in May 2024, and implementation of its roadmap is now underway across multiple work streams.