PAHO Director signs the 2026–2031 Subregional Cooperation Strategy for South America

Washington, D.C., 16 December 2025 (PAHO) - The Subregional Cooperation Strategy, which establishes a guiding framework for joint work in South America towards more universal, resilient, and sustainable health systems, was signed today by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Andean Health Organization-Hipólito Unanue Agreement (ORAS-CONHU), and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).

The strategy seeks to support countries in addressing persistent and emerging health challenges and to promote greater regional cohesion in health through the integration of public health policies across South America.

The signing took place during a virtual ceremony attended by the PAHO Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa; Dr. María del Carmen Calle, Executive Secretary of ORAS-CONHU; Dr. Martín Von Hildebrand, Secretary General of ACTO; and Dr. Marise Ribeiro Nogueira, Head of the Special Advisory Office for International Affairs of Brazil's Ministry of Health and National Coordinator for Mercosur Brazil.

"The strategy we sign today is an instrument for integration and leadership, designed to align efforts, strengthen capacities, and generate real impact on health in South America," said Dr. Barbosa during the signing ceremony.

The cooperation strategy establishes four strategic priorities for PAHO's technical cooperation in the subregion:

1. Position subregional public health as a driver of development and well-being.
   A multisectoral approach will be promoted to elevate public health on the subregional agenda, strengthening digital transformation through common interoperability standards, information systems, and knowledge management.
2. Promote the prevention, control, and comprehensive care of priority diseases.
   Subregional initiatives for the elimination of transmissible and vaccine-preventable diseases will be prioritized within the framework of PAHO's Disease Elimination Initiative. The Better Care for NCDs initiative in primary health care will be promoted, along with the development of mental health policies and strategies based on human rights.
3. Strengthen health system preparedness, response, and recovery in the face of emergencies and climate impacts.
   Health system resilience will be reinforced to address emergencies, disasters, environmental risks, climate change, and zoonotic threats through comprehensive strategies under the One Health approach. This includes strengthening the primary care level, workforce training, community participation, improved operational capacity, and the identification of subregional priorities based on monitoring of the International Health Regulations.
4. Reinforce health surveillance and response at points of entry and in cross-border areas.
   Actions will prioritize early warning, health controls, and information exchange among countries. Progress will also be made in harmonizing subregional regulatory frameworks with cultural relevance for immunization in border areas, ensuring continuous and quality care for populations in border regions, including migrants, through coordinated and timely responses to outbreaks, disasters, and health emergencies.

Thanking PAHO for its continued collaboration, Dr. María del Carmen Calle, Executive Secretary of ORAS-CONHU, noted that "this strategy will drive concrete interventions to position our region as a global model of South-South cooperation, demonstrating that unity transcends borders and builds resilience."

For Dr. Martín Von Hildebrand, Secretary General of ACTO, "this act reflects a clear political and technical will to move forward with concrete actions for the development of public health in the Amazon, from an intercultural and territorial approach, with full respect for Indigenous peoples and local communities."

Dr. Marise Ribeiro Nogueira, representing Mercosur, highlighted that during the 57th Meeting of Ministers of Mercosur Member States and Associated States, held in São Paulo under Brazil's Pro Tempore Presidency, Ministers of Health "expressed their support, recognizing the Strategy's contribution to strengthening regional action and the generation of public goods for health."

The 2026-2031 Subregional Cooperation Strategy for South America was developed through a participatory process involving key subregional integration mechanisms and strategic partners, enabling the identification of common priorities and the construction of an agenda that reflects national needs and the subregional vision.

"The agreed strategic priorities reflect a fundamental principle: regional unity is the best investment in the well-being of our populations. Only through coordination, cooperation, and shared leadership will we achieve sustainable results and tangible impact on the health of our citizens," concluded the PAHO Director.