2025 UN High-level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases

UICC joined a strong presence of civil society organisations at the UN High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health in New York on 25 September 2025, where Member States overwhelmingly supported a new Political Declaration to guide global NCD policy through to 2030.

In the lead-up to the event, UICC worked closely with members to provide evidence, shape the text, and engage national representatives.

Thanks in part to these efforts, the final declaration maintained meaningful commitments for cancer, including the elimination of cervical cancer, improved childhood cancer survival rates, and expanded access to diagnostics and treatment. However, some prevention-related measures – particularly fiscal and regulatory policies – were weakened in the final text.

UICC also organised two well-attended official side-events (see below for reports on these sessions):

• Bridging the cancer care gap: advancing national cancer control plans
  This session explored how National Cancer Control Plans can drive equitable access to cancer services and strengthen health systems.

• Safeguarding cancer care from antimicrobial resistance
  Experts discussed the growing threat of AMR in oncology and the need for coordinated policy responses to protect cancer treatment.

Please find below reports of these sessions, as well as a digest of the political declaration and meeting outcomes, highlighting key targets, advocacy priorities, and recommendations for national implementation.

Key resources

• Political declaration on NCDs – With strong endorsement from Member States, the declaration sets a path to 2030 for cancer and other NCDs, despite weakened fiscal and regulatory measures aimed at prevention. Read more about the key targets and the trade-offs. 

• UICC Digest of the high-level meeting and political declaration – "Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being"

• UICC Community Asks document

• Report on UICC side-event on NCCPs – "Bridging the cancer care cap: advancing national cancer control plans"

• Report on UICC side-event on AMR – "Tackling AMR in cancer care"

Looking Ahead

Implementation is now the critical focus. UICC will continue to support members in:

• Tracking national follow-up to the declaration, especially in cancer-relevant areas
• Advocating for stronger prevention policies, including those weakened in the final text
• Integrating cancer priorities into national NCD strategies and universal health coverage plans
• Elevating the voices of people affected by cancer in policy dialogues and accountability processes