UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases: Joint Coordinating Board (JCB) – Report on attendance at JCB in 2022 and nomination of a Member in place of Myanmar whose term expires on 31 December 2022

The Joint Coordinating Board (JCB) of the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease Research (TDR) acts as the Governing Body of the Special Programme and is responsible for its overall policy and strategy. This paper describes the background and composition of the JCB of TDR. Currently, Myanmar represents the WHO South-East Asia Region until 31 December 2022 as a Member under the terms of Paragraph 2.2.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding. The Seventy-fifth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in 2022 will be called upon to decide on a Member from the Region that will replace Myanmar for a four-year term commencing 1 January 2023. Among Member States of the WHO SEA Region, Sri Lanka expressed interest to apply for membership under Paragraph 2.2.3. Currently, Sri Lanka represents the SE Asia Region as Member of JCB under Paragraph 2.2.3 and it has re-applied for membership in the same category. However, the elections could not be organized in 2022, and Sri Lanka’s term of membership was extended by one year till 31 December 2023. The Forty-fifth Session of the Joint Coordinating Board for TDR (JCB TDR) was held virtually on 15–16 June 2022. The report on attendance of Member States from the Region at the JCB session in 2022 is attached as Annex 3