The World Health Organization (WHO) held a procession to raise the Red and White Flag at the Regional Office of the West Pacific Region in Manila, Philippines on Wednesday 11 June 2026.
WHO in Jakarta, Thursday, informed that the historic moment marks Indonesia's official transition from the Southeast Asia Region to the Western Pacific Region of WHO.
"Indonesia brings various experiences, innovations, and opportunities. On behalf of the big family of the WHO West Pacific, I warmly welcome Indonesia and the entire Indonesian nation," said Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Agus Widjojo in the ceremony procession as reported by ANTARA.
The event was attended by a number of other important officials, including WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Saia Ma'u Piukala and WHO staff at regional offices as well as invited guests.
In the statement, it was explained that Indonesia's request to shift regions had been approved by the 78th World Health Council which was held in May 2025 in Geneva to strengthen collaboration in the health sector with 37 member countries WHO and other regions in the West Pacific.
Agus said the closeness of geography and health challenges together with other countries and regions from North Asia to the South Pacific were key factors in making this decision.
"Indonesia's move to the West Pacific region will allow us to align public health priorities with neighboring countries and fellow ASEAN members, opening up more opportunities for collaboration and learning together," he said.
Agus believes this shift will provide space for Indonesia to have a greater impact on health priorities in and outside the region.
Indonesia's health priorities include strengthening surveillance of cross-border diseases, overcoming non-communicable diseases, and accelerating the achievement of sustainable development goals.
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According to Agus, this transition also opens up new opportunities for Indonesia to access regional-level innovations and health resources, as well as share expertise, including in terms of pandemic preparedness and responses in the framework of wider health resilience.
The WHO Region Director for the West Pacific, Saia Ma'u Piukala, called Indonesia's move a strong evidence of global solidarity and regional cooperation.
"Indonesia's steps are strong evidence of solidarity and regional cooperation when unity and multilateralism are increasingly important from before, for the sake of health and sustainable development," he said.
WHO emphasized that this transition does not cut ties between Indonesia and the Southeast Asia Region. On the contrary, cross-Asian and Pacific collaboration is expected to be closer, as joint efforts to realize the vision of Health for all.
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