Honorable chair, distinguished delegates,

The United Nations Foundation remains committed to global polio eradication.

We commend the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and all partners on continued progress towards eradication, as well as efforts to ensure that polio infrastructure is effectively transitioned to sustain polio gains and provide broader health benefits.

We praise the overall downward trend of variant type 2 globally, which has been possible thanks to ongoing improvements in country response.

We applaud collaboration across partners and initiatives, including Gavi, to reach zero-dose communities and strengthen essential immunization capacities.

We call on Member States to provide the necessary resources to achieve a polio-free world, noting the $2.3 billion funding gap through 2029 to support these efforts.

We remind Member States that investing in polio eradication has saved more than 20 million people from paralysis, helped to provide vital health services for children, and has proven to be a critical investment in global health security.