Brazzaville, 7 march 2005 -- The Directors of the WHO Regional Office for Africa and the UNICEF Office for West and Central Africa open discussions Tuesday in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, on ways to collaborate in achieving a common goal - improving the health status of people in the African region.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, and UNICEF Director for West and Central Africa, Dr Ezio Murzi, are leading their respective delegations to the talks, the first organized by Directors of the two specialized UN agencies in the region for more than five years.

The meeting will, among other things, discuss the health situation analysis and health challenges facing the region, identify common areas of interest for joint intervention to assist countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, agree on mechanisms for collaboration and develop a joint plan of action for the implementation of selected activities.

A communiqué on WHO-UNICEF collaboration is expected to be issued by the two agencies at the end of the meeting.

For further information, please contact:

Samuel T. Ajibola

E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int (ajibolas[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

Tel : + 47 241 39378