Fall symposium 2025 | The impact of geopolitical changes in global health

The impact of geopolitical changes in global health. Introducing global, national and community responses to an international shift in donor preferences. 

The world is changing, nothing new. What is new is the pace and intensity of geopolitical shifts that directly affect global cooperation and health equity. A key turning point came with the Trump administration’s withdrawal of support for several international health and development programmes - decisions that had immediate consequences for millions of people worldwide. Since then, donor priorities have increasingly turned inward, driven by national interests, efficiency-thinking, and a growing business-like approach to development cooperation. This trend is visible not only in the United States but also across Europe and other high-income regions.

These changes are not abstract - they have profound and immediate impacts on communities in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in contexts already facing poverty, conflict, or fragile health systems. Global health programmes are being disrupted, civic space is under pressure, and long-term progress toward health equity is being undermined.

Despite these shifting political and financial priorities, the global health community actively is exploring ways on how to navigate this changing landscape. And researchers, practitioners, and advocates are developing new strategies to sustain solidarity, to ensure human rights and equitable, universal access to care. 

This symposium focuses on how to confront these challenges in effective, collaborative, and values-driven ways. The programme brings together critical reflection with concrete examples of resilience, innovation, and alternative ways of working — anchored in a commitment to health justice for all.

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Programme

Keep an eye on our website to see when the programme will be published! 

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