Under the 2026 leitmotif “From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health”, the World Health Summit hosted a WHS Global Health Dialogue in Berlin on the sidelines of a visit of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
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Under the 2026 leitmotif “From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health”, the World Health Summit hosted a WHS Global Health Dialogue on April 13 in Berlin. The event brought together key decision-makers from parliament, ministries, philanthropy, and academia as part of a visit of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to Berlin. On the agenda was the evolving role of global health in today’s geopolitical and geoeconomic context, with a particular focus on Germany.
Health globally increasingly intersects with questions of security, economic stability, and international cooperation. As multilateral structures face growing pressure amid shifting power dynamics, the global health ecosystem is at a critical juncture.
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These dynamics shaped the discussion at the Dialogue. Key takeaways included:
Health continues to need strong multilateralism and a strengthened World Health Organization (WHO). Health threats cross borders and cannot be addressed by countries acting alone. Effective responses depend on international cooperation and coordinated political leadership, supported by strong narratives.
Health is a strategic sector. Investments in and political commitment to health contribute to economic stability, societal resilience, and security. They reduce long-term costs, strengthen preparedness, and support sustainable growth through high returns on investments.
Europe and Germany are central to international cooperation for health. They are key global health actors, politically, financially, and institutionally. Germany’s engagement spans science, innovation, and pharmaceutical production, alongside strong engagement in multilateral organizations. This contributes to improved health outcomes globally while also delivering tangible benefits within Europe and Germany, including support for evidence-based policies and coordinated processes like vaccine development or disease surveillance.
Looking ahead, participants highlighted the upcoming World Health Assembly in Geneva in May and the World Health Summit in Berlin as key opportunities to shape the future of multilateral cooperation in global health.