The recent geopolitical shifts raise urgent questions about the future of global health. As the influence of traditional global health actors wanes, new power dynamics are emerging, with regional blocs and non-state actors playing increasingly prominent roles. At the same time, health itself is being transformed by rapid technological advancements such as AI, which require appropriate governance to ensure equitable access and ethical use. These shifts call for a reassessment of whether existing multilateral structures can adapt or if more decentralized and equitable approaches are required to govern health effectively in a changing world.
At the WHS Regional Meeting in Delhi last Saturday, the Global Health Diplomacy Network hosted a session titled “Navigating Health Diplomacy in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities to the Multilateral System and the Path Forward”. As traditional power structures shift, how can the global health community navigate this evolving landscape? Will this provide new opportunities and momentum for change? Who will lead in setting health priorities, securing financing, and ensuring equitable access to health services, particularly for marginalized groups of the population and areas facing humanitarian crises?
The Rt Hon. Helen Clark from New Zealand and Professor Yik-Ying Teo from Singapore started the discussion by pointing to the growing unpredictability of global funding, the weakening of multilateral institutions, and the urgent need for stronger regional leadership, local capacity building, and sustainable financing. Brian Li Han Wong connected to the discussions around Health Diplomacy and AI, which took place in Bangkok in January at PMAC 2025, and shared insights from the newly published opinion piece, “From algorithms to negotiations: Why health diplomacy must adapt”.
A discussion with Katherine Urbáez from the Dominican Republic and Gulshan Sachdeva from India explored the future of multilateral cooperation and diplomacy. Finally, Esperanza Martinez officially launched the GHD Network’s website, highlighting the importance of investing in future diplomatic capacities.
The present crisis is an opportunity for reforms, new agenda, global collaboration, and global functions. Global health diplomacy is a fundamental aspect of global health governance. However, there is a need for different partnerships to navigate the complex challenges ahead.
