Event highlights
The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia and WHO today signed the country’s first WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) (2026–2030), marking a major milestone in the country’s health sector transformation and positioning North Macedonia as a leading example of national ownership, multisectoral engagement and strategic alignment within the WHO European Region.
The ceremony held at the Government Building brought together the highest national authorities and WHO leadership:
- Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski
- Dr Azir Aliu, Minister of Health
- Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe (joining online)
- Dr Akeem Ali, WHO Representative in North Macedonia.
The signing of the strategy marks the formal launch of a forward-looking, 5-year strategic partnership that aims to strengthen national capacities, advance key reforms and ensure that health services are more accessible, equitable and resilient for all people in North Macedonia.
A CCS process that sets a new standard across the Region
North Macedonia’s CCS is one of the most comprehensive and nationally owned strategic processes completed in 2025, demonstrating the country’s strong political commitment to health as a national development priority.
Over the past year, the CCS was developed through a highly participatory process, including:
- consultations with 12 ministries;
- thematic discussions on climate change, health security, digitalization, demographic shifts, noncommunicable diseases and mental health; and
- structured workshops with United Nations partners, academia, youth networks, civil society and public health institutions.
This whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach resulted in a strategy that is coherent, realistic and aligned with the country’s long-term vision for development.
A unique feature of the CCS is the cross-ministerial commitments annex, where ministries formally articulate their contributions to shared health outcomes – a model increasingly promoted under WHO/Europe’s Second European Programme of Work (EPW2) and rarely achieved at this depth in the Region.
Fully aligned with GPW14, EPW2 and national health and development priorities
The CCS brings together national ambitions and international commitments into a single coherent framework. It is fully aligned with the:
- Government Programme (2024–2028)
- National Health Strategy (2021–2030)
- National Development Strategy (2024–2044)
- European Union accession agenda
- WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14) and EPW2.
As one of the first countries to align its CCS with the EPW2 megatrends – demographic change, digital transformation, climate pressures and rising inequalities – North Macedonia’s process serves as a reference point for others in the Region. The CCS translates the ambitions of the EPW2 into a concrete, country-owned roadmap, demonstrating how the megatrends and strategic shifts of EPW2 can be operationalized through national priorities and multisectoral action.
High-level leadership and strong multisectoral commitment
At the ceremony, Prime Minister Mickoski emphasized that the CCS reflects the Government’s reform priorities, including the modernization of primary health care, digital transformation, improving maternal and child health, addressing climate and environmental risks and strengthening preparedness and the health workforce.
Dr Kluge highlighted the strategy as an example of how political leadership and technical cooperation can come together to accelerate progress, stating, “The CCS will guide our collective work to improve health for all ages, bring trusted care closer to communities, reduce health inequities and strengthen preparedness for future crises.”
Collaboration across the 3 levels of WHO
The CCS embodies WHO’s 3-level engagement model, with coordinated input and support from:
- the Country Office, which led the consultation process, coordination with ministries and partners and the technical development of the document;
- WHO/Europe, which provided policy alignment, strategic guidance and high-level engagement; and
- WHO headquarters, which ensured alignment with the GPW14 and supported the development of the CCS Theory of Change and monitoring framework, strengthening the strategy’s logic, results orientation and accountability mechanisms.
This integrated support demonstrates how WHO works as a single organization to accompany countries through complex reforms.
A shared roadmap for a healthier, more resilient future
The CCS outlines 4 strategic priorities that will guide joint work through 2030:
- better health across generations – including immunization, sexual and reproductive health, climate and environmental health and health literacy;
- reforms that build trust – with a focus on primary health care, mental health services, digital transformation and quality of care;
- leaving no one behind – including targeted support for vulnerable groups and the prevention of violence against women and girls; and
- preparedness and resilience – strengthening health security, One Health, antimicrobial resistance efforts, the health workforce and sustainable financing.
A future-focused partnership
By signing the CCS, the Government of North Macedonia and WHO reaffirm their commitment to joint action, strong national stewardship and inclusive collaboration with institutions, civil society, United Nations partners and communities.
As implementation begins, North Macedonia stands out as a regional leader in demonstrating how strategic alignment, multisectoral engagement and high-level political leadership can accelerate progress toward universal health coverage and long-term health system resilience.