Global Health, Global Britain Contents

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Introduction

1.No country can fight a pandemic alone. Covid-19 has shown that health policy is inextricable from foreign policy and that the health of populations overseas directly affects the security of the British people. It has also highlighted major shortcomings in global cooperation and solidarity. During the pandemic the international community has often failed to coordinate policies; trade barriers have sprung up; the limitations of multilateral health structures have been exposed; and high-income countries have used their wealth to buy a large proportion of the available vaccines. There have also been great successes. Global cooperation to create vaccines and treatments for covid-19 has shown us what is possible when countries work together.

2.It is only a matter of time before the next pandemic. The UK could take a leadership role in building better international cooperation on global health before then, drawing on its strengths as a donor, a convening power, and in scientific research and development, but it will only be able to do so if it takes a proactive decision to prioritise this work. At a time when many countries seem to be withdrawing from or questioning established international organisations, the UK should constantly underline the importance of global cooperation and seek to strengthen, not undermine, multilateral bodies. This report makes recommendations for steps the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) should take to improve global health security, focusing on reform of the multilateral health system, access to covid-19 vaccines, and overseas aid.

3.We launched this inquiry in October 2020, following the Prime Minister’s promise of a “new global approach to health security”. It builds on the work of our inquiries and reports, “Viral immunity: The FCO’s role in building a coalition against COVID-19” and “In the room: The UK’s role in multilateral diplomacy”. In the course of this inquiry, we took oral evidence from 12 witnesses across four different continents and published 31 pieces of written evidence. We heard from experts in public health, biotech, and foreign policy; as well as campaign groups, medical organisations, international non-governmental organisations, a former Foreign Secretary, FCDO officials, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Wendy Morton MP, the Minister responsible for global health security. We are grateful to all those who contributed to this inquiry.