COVID-19 Puts International Health Cooperation to the Test
The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed international tensions, in particular between China and the United States.
The president of the United States strongly criticized the World Health Organization, claiming it was working in the interest of Beijing and it was inefficient. Yet this organization acted quickly and furthered international health cooperation. It has also taken action towards the production of a vaccine, which could be considered a global public good.
Didier Houssin is the chairperson of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Article published in Politique étrangère, Vol. 85, No. 3, Autumn 2020.