Global Public Health Diplomacy: An Opportunity for Ireland?

Date: 18 June 2021

Author: Alexander Conway

COVID-19 has demonstrated both how deep global interdependencies are for national resilience in the face of health challenges as well as the need for institutional reform and political leadership for global health policy. Health diplomacy is where diplomatic knowledge and health expertise are combined to deal with health emergencies, natural disasters, and conflicts, but also works to improve health care internationally, focussing on the areas of greatest need. 

This analytical briefing examines the proposed health policy reforms at the EU and UN levels, what health diplomacy means and what opportunities there are for Ireland to assume a leadership role at the all-island, EU and UN level in the current global health paradigm. 

While the present pandemic has reconfirmed the need for improved public health diplomacy, it is crucial that health diplomacy endeavours go beyond merely responding to COVID-19 and that they pursue active strategic engagement on how to prepare for future cross-border global public health crises and emergencies. Ireland’s tenure as an elected member of the UN Security Council offers it an excellent position to lead on health diplomacy efforts at the EU level and at the global level, such as the: the UN General Assembly Session in September 2021, the November 2021 Global Conference on Health and Climate Change and the WHO’s Global Conference on Health and Climate Change at COP26 in Glasgow.