How the EU and the Netherlands could do more

With the Covid pandemic the world has learnt again the risks of diseases traveling borders. Preventing and halting outbreaks of new diseases is a tremendous challenge that requires concerted action by countries willing to share information. Instead we witnessed intensified geopolitical tensions combined with national reflexes and closed borders undermining a global response. Eventually, the EU and its member states, as traditional defenders of multilateralism, initiated a global arrangement for vaccine sharing (COVAX) and are currently advocating for a new pandemic treaty. They uphold the World Health Organization when it was criticised by the US and others.

This online event will discuss if the EU is likely to continue its efforts to push for global health, and in doing so in a more coherent way than previously, when activities of health and development tracks were not much aligned. What could be the contribution of EU member states, including the Netherlands that traditionally focuses its global health effort on sexual and reproductive health and rights? What is the added value of looking at health as an international issue? What are rather nationally oriented health ministry’s missing in the bigger picture? And how can development actors pay more attention to public health security interests?

Watch the conversation below.

Programme

Conversation on why the Netherlands and the EU should step up their contribution to global health with:

• Maria Yazdanbakhsh, Head of the department of Parasitology at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), winner of the 2021 Spinoza Prize (“Dutch Nobel Prize”)

Followed by a panel with:

• Koos Richelle, Member of the International Advisory Council on International Affairs, former Director-General at the European Commission and Netherland Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

• Roland Driece, Director International Department of the Netherlands Ministry of Health
• Eleanor Brooks, Lecturer in health policy at the Global Health Policy Unit (GHPU), University of Edinburgh
• Moderator: Louise van Schaik, Head of Unit EU & Global Affairs, the Clingendael Institute

This Clingendael event is cofinanced by Cordaid, KNCV and Aidsfonds.