Small countries initiative

The Small Countries Initiative was established in 2013 at an informal meeting held during the 63rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Çeşme Izmir, Turkey. The Initiative has since grown into a network of 11 Member States in the WHO European Region with populations of 2 million or less.

The countries participating in the Initiative are Andorra, Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino and Slovenia.

Throughout the years, the Initiative has acted as a laboratory for innovation and a collaborative platform through which members can address issues unique to small countries; for example, these might relate to social, environmental and economic contexts, or health-related needs and vulnerabilities.

The objectives of the Initiative are to:

• leverage existing opportunities in small countries at the regional and international levels;
• share best practice in implementing relevant policies, strategies and interventions;
• build capacity in several high-priority thematic areas, such as health workforce and digital health;
• produce technical, practice-based evidence on ways to address different public health challenges; and
• identify joint health and development priorities.

The Secretariat is housed at the WHO European Centre for Investment for Health and Development in Venice, Italy.

Recent key action areas

Most recently, given the present and future impact of COVID-19 on small countries in particular, the focus of the Initiative has been on:

• establishing a joint, forward-looking vision;
• identifying the most immediate areas of need, as well as short-term priorities for action towards a fair recovery, leaving no one behind;
• acting on common priorities for the medium term, taking national health plans into consideration and using the European Programme of Work, 2020–2025, as an overarching umbrella; and
• disseminating good practice.