The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated global vulnerabilities to diseases, thereby calling into question the extent to which health constitutes a pillar of homeland security. The increasing relevance of global health issues and their emergence as globalized security threats, have elevated the political status of health, and shed a new light on its perceived relationship to power. Indeed, health capacities have emerged as critical structures for the fight against the pandemic, with medical and pharmaceutical supplies acquiring strategic value, alongside personal protective equipment (PPE). This has bolstered health diplomacy as a new means of exercising and projecting power, while further demonstrating the importance of resilient health systems to protecting national interests. This session will explore the extent to which health can be instrumentalized as a foreign policy tool to advance national interests, as well as provide ground to reflect on the heterodox nature of the power-health nexus. What are the ramifications of the COVID-19 disease outbreak on the distribution of power? Given the increased attention and funding health has garnered following the pandemic, how can the WHO mitigate power imbalances within the global health governance field? To what extent has COVID-19 shifted state priorities and encouraged the incorporation of health as a dimension of foreign policy? Moderator : Richard Liu, Journalist and Anchor, MSNBC and NBC News Speakers : - Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, Senior Economic Advisor, Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative - Anand Reddi, Manager Health Systems Strenghtening, Gilead Sciences Inc; Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leader (ADEL) - Kheston Walkins, CEO, Chief NeuroInnovation Officer, Allegori; Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leader (ADEL)
