Permanent Mission of India 

Geneva 

Statement by India on Agenda Item 14.3 Engagement with non-State actors at the 140th Session of Executive Board of the WHO delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary on 31 January 2017

Thank you Mr. Chair

WHO has been engaging with non-state actors even in the absence of FENSA. We have maintained that FENSA is about creating a robust framework that ensures transparency, accountability and consistency in how WHO engages with different non-state actors and how effectively conflict of interest is managed so that WHO’s integrity and credibility are preserved and protected.

The current report in document EB 140/41 provides generalised information about the implementation of FENSA. The focus of the report is on the implementation plan. It does not provide information on the engagements with NSA since the adoption of FENSA.  

We believe that details should include number engagements with each type of NSA, the type of engagement; the number of risk assessments carried out by the secretariat, the number of denial of engagements after the risk assessments, and steps taken to ensure evidence or management of risk.

Mr. Chair

The Secretariat is expected to develop various guidelines and operational procedures. For example - a risk assessment manual or guideline to exercise particular caution with certain industries as mentioned in 44bis of the Overarching FENSA. It is important that these guidelines and operational procedures are made available in the public domain in order to ensure transparency.

We feel that the pilot register is a positive development and will improve transparency. We

note, however, that there is no provision in the pilot register to display the programs of

cooperation which are key to the idea of Official Relations.

The mechanism for ‘pooled funding from the private sector’ is an important concept of FENSA.

We find that there is no mention of this concept in EB140/41 and would like to know if details

and guidelines from the Secretariat on this mechanism are under pipeline.

With these words I thank you, Mr. Chair.