Debate: EU Global Health Strategy
Date: WEDNESDAY, 19 APRIL 2023
Speaker: Stella Kyriakides
Language: EN

On 30 November, we launched the new EU Global Health Strategy to achieve real impact on the ground and strengthen our voice at the global level. We have listened to you and the strategy is a response to the calls made by this House. And with it, we put forward our vision to step up EU global leadership in health. We have also listened to other key players during an extensive consultation of Member States, partner countries, civil society and global health initiatives. This effort is reflected in the positive welcome the strategy received, and I want to thank everyone for that. Health is an essential pillar of EU policy and global health has become an essential pillar of EU external policy, reflecting the external dimension of the European Health Union and the key component of global gateway, which is all about partnerships – essential partnerships rooted in equity, in solidarity and in human rights. Concrete examples of such partnership efforts include the regional Team Europe initiatives in health in Africa and Latin America, and the collaboration with global health stakeholders such as the Global Fund, Gavi and the new Pandemic Fund. Our Global Health Strategy presented three key, interrelated priorities. The first is to tackle the root causes of ill health – whether they are economic, social or environmental – keep putting people always at the centre. The second is to strengthen global health with a ‘one health’ and ‘health in all policies’ approach in order to prevent diseases before they become health threats and pandemics. And the third is to strengthen health systems and advance universal health coverage. These will put us back on track to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. Global governance, health sovereignty and strategic autonomy are also important considerations in the strategy. We set out a vision for a new global health order. As a champion of multilateralism, the EU believes the WHO should be at the core of a strong and responsive multilateral system where the EU should finally have a seat at the table in the form of a formal observer status at WHO. Such a new global health order should be based on stronger rules to deliver better health for all, such as the binding pandemic agreement currently under negotiation. To achieve our goals, it is crucial that we collectively boost our financing for global health. This should include financing at global, regional and bilateral levels. We encourage the use of innovative financial instruments and new ways of financing with an effective Team Europe approach. It also highlights the prospects of co-investment initiatives and domestic resource mobilisation. On the EU level, global health will be prioritised across relevant EU budget financing mechanisms, including NDICI-Global Europe, EU4Health and Horizon Europe programmes. The key to all this is a Team Europe approach, which I know is a central issue for this Parliament. Only together – and with one voice between the Commission, Parliament and Member States – will we increase our impact on the ground and in international fora. We’re also working closely with the Swedish Presidency towards strong Council conclusions to be adopted in two weeks, endorsing the ambitions of our strategy. Only with political commitment coupled with concrete actions, monitoring and accountability mechanisms will we see a real change. We will keep listening. We will continue, of course, to engage. And by working together, we can make global health a reality.