ABSTRACT
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the leading international organization focusing on health issues within the United Nations system. Conceptual and institutional developments of WHO reflect health governance transformation at the international level. The new system of global health governance places WHO as one of many players, albeit a very important one. WHO cooperates with non-state and private actors – a key instrument used by WHO to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is partnerships. WHO has (co)convened, led and hosted many partnerships since the early 2000s. Only recently, however, does WHO address the interlinkages of the SDGs, with a more conceptually coherent approach culminating in the ‘One Health Initiative’.
