The 79th World Health Assembly, convened in Geneva, Switzerland, brought together government delegations, United Nations agencies, international organizations and civil society actors to discuss global public health priorities. As the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization, the Assembly serves as a key platform for international health diplomacy and cooperation on issues related to health systems, universal health coverage, mental health, pandemic preparedness and sustainable development. Held at the Palais des Nations from 18 to 23 May 2026, the Assembly provided an important opportunity for governments, experts and civil society organizations to exchange views on current global health challenges and strengthen international cooperation in the field of public health. Within this framework, the IFGC participated in the 79th World Health Assembly with a particular focus on addiction prevention and public health approaches. Representing 70 Country Green Crescent organizations, IFGC followed discussions related to public health policies and engaged in meetings and side events concerning addiction and preventive health services. A key highlight of IFGC’s participation was its contribution to the panel titled “From Commitment to Coverage, Integrating Substance Use into Universal Health Coverage,” hosted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on 20 May 2026. The panel brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including international organizations, public health experts and civil society organizations working in the field of chemical and behavioral addiction. Speaking on behalf of IFGC, Secretary General Ambassador Dr. Mehmet Güllüoğlu described addiction as a growing global public health challenge and emphasized that harm reduction approaches alone are not sufficient. IFGC shared recommendations including integrating addiction services into primary healthcare systems, recognizing prevention as an essential health service and strengthening protective public health policies. Throughout the Assembly, IFGC also held courtesy meetings with diplomatic representatives of Türkiye in Geneva. Within this scope, meetings were conducted on 21 May with Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization Hakan Çakıl and Consul General of Türkiye in Geneva Salih Boğaç Güldere. The International Cooperation and Federation Management Director Ergin Beceren of the The Turkish Green Crescent Society and Manager of the International Federation of Green Crescent, Sara Evli Özhan also met on 22 May with Alex Mejia, Director of the Social Development Division at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. In addition, a courtesy meeting was held with Deputy Director of the Social Development Division Prof. Dr. Ebru Canan-Sokullu to assess ongoing and potential collaborations. Turkish Green Crescent Society also participated in WHA79 through the official delegation of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye. The delegation followed developments related to tobacco and alcohol control policies, mental health and addiction, engaged with international civil society organizations and member state representatives, and participated in side events focusing on scientific developments and good practices in the field of addiction prevention. Members of the Scientific Committee of Türkiye Yeşilay Cemiyeti, Prof. Hakan Coşkunol and Associate Professor Dr. Perihan Torun, also took part in the Assembly as part of the delegation.  

As IFGC, we participated in the panel "From Commitment to Coverage: Integrating Substance Use into UHC" at WHA79 in Geneva. Hosted by @IFRC, bringing together diverse stakeholders - diverse civil society organizations working on chemical and behavioral addictions —to discuss substance use within Universal Health Coverage for the very first time at the World Health Assembly.   Speaking at the panel, IFGC Secretary-General, Ambassador Dr. Mehmet Güllüoğlu, highlighted addiction as a global health crisis and emphasized that harm reduction alone is not enough. Representing our 70 Country Green Crescents, he shared concrete solutions: integrating addiction services into primary care, recognizing prevention as an essential health service, and strengthening protective policies. We stand ready to cooperate globally to leave no one behind! 

In an important step for global public health and humanitarian response, the United Nations (UN) International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Federation of Green Crescent (IFGC) have signed a comprehensive agreement. This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) creates a official partnership to bring together addiction prevention work with mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for migrants, refugees, and communities affected by crises. The official signing ceremony took place at the Permanent Mission of Türkiye to the United Nations Office in Geneva. The event was attended by Ambassador Dr. Mehmet Güllüoğlu, Vice President of the Turkish Green Crescent and Secretary-General of the IFGC, and Vincent Houver, IOM Director of the Department of Mobility Pathways and Inclusion, along with representatives from both institutions. This agreement does not mark the start of a brand-new relationship. Instead, it makes a long-standing partnership official and permanent. For years, Green Crescent Counseling Centers (YEDAM) have worked closely with the IOM on the ground, helping vulnerable communities fight addiction and mental health issues. This new MoU turns those local efforts into a structured, global alliance. STATEMENTS FROM LEADERS ON THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS Speaking at the ceremony in Geneva, Ambassador Dr. Mehmet Güllüoğlu emphasized that this agreement is much more than just a routine official document, stating: "This ceremony reflects a joint commitment to support vulnerable and displaced communities through prevention, recovery, psychosocial well-being, and inclusive community-based approaches." Dr. Güllüoğlu drew attention to the current global situation, noting that millions of young people around the world are growing up under the shadow of wars, natural disasters, forced migration, and social instability. He explained that these crises do not just force people to leave their homes; they also break social bonds, weaken mental strength, increase isolation, and deeply hurt emotional well-being. Speaking about the expanding scope of addiction, Dr. Güllüoğlu said: "As IFGC, we believe it is becoming increasingly important that addiction prevention cannot be separated from broader discussions about well-being, resilience, inclusion, and human dignity. This includes not only substance addiction such as alcohol and drugs, but also behavioral addictions like gambling, gaming, and problematic technology use. These can become even more visible during periods of displacement, uncertainty, and social isolation." Representing the United Nations, IOM Director Vincent Houver acknowledged that public health—especially specialized fields like addiction treatment—is often underfunded and undervalued in global humanitarian response. Welcoming the partnership with the IFGC, Houver noted: "Unfortunately, drug and substance use, along with other addictive behaviors, crosscut very frequently with our work, but I think this is a reality of the humanitarian field. Drug use and substance addiction hinder the integration of migrants into host societies and present significant barriers that prevent them from successfully reintegrating and achieving social cohesion with the community when they return to their countries." Houver also highlighted that since humanitarian needs are growing globally while international budgets are shrinking, the wide network of the IFGC is incredibly valuable to the United Nations: "As humanitarian needs continue to increase globally, while resources tend to decrease, IOM is proud to partner with IFGC to strengthen prevention and access to care among migrants and host communities." Concluding his speech, Houver praised the leading role of Türkiye and the Green Crescent on the world stage: "Türkiye is an invaluable and strong partner for IOM, one of the key member states of IOM. Therefore, it is a matter of great pride for us that you represent Türkiye today, being here as civil and permanent representative. Türkiye is an absolutely indispensable partner for IOM in the field of migration and in the field of humanitarian assistance in general. Therefore, we are very proud to be able to partner with you today in this special setting." TECHNICAL SCOPE AND STRATEGIC PILLARS OF THE AGREEMENT The partnership focuses on four main strategic areas: sharing expertise by contributing to each other's international training programs on mental health, intercultural communication, and substance use disorders; launching joint research and pilot initiatives to study areas of shared interest; exploring new ways to share program information at the country level to improve field coordination and facilitate safe healthcare referrals; and exchanging specialized technical resources—such as clinical protocols, training tools, and guidance documents—on a case-by-case basis while fully respecting intellectual property rights and confidentiality frameworks.  To ensure safe field operations, the agreement introduces strict international legal and privacy guardrails. The framework explicitly prohibits any transfer or exchange of personal data belonging to beneficiaries or patients, requiring a separate, highly secure data-sharing agreement if such needs arise in the future. FUTURE OUTLOOK IFGC and the IOM will meet regularly to ensure the agreement is being put into practice. Following its immediate entry into force upon signature, both headquarters are asking that the details of this MoU be shared across all global field offices and regional teams.