Your Excellencies: as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, we celebrate progress toward polio eradication as an important element of that milestone that we can’t take for granted.

Progress in reducing both wild and variant polio virus in 2023, renewed access in areas critical to polio eradication, and recent investments renew hope and confidence that we will achieve our goal.

We applaud increased collaboration among the GPEI, Gavi and EPI to protect all children from vaccine preventable diseases. Such collaboration is essential to overcome challenges and fulfill the promise of a polio free world while also providing broader essential immunizations and services.

Let us all remain focused and provide the resources to end polio forever.