The COVID-19 pandemics has highlighted the significance, as well as the deep crisis of the health governance system. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been criticized for falling under political influences and was unable to coordinate a proper international response to tackle the pandemics. Thereafter, various efforts have been made to ensure that a COVID-19 vaccine would become a common good. However, again, national attempts to win the race for vaccine and secure doses for its domestic population clashed with multilateral initiatives.

This webinar will discuss the issue of health governance in the COVID era by providing European and Japanese perspectives on the topic, as well as looking at WHO’s evolving role.

The webinar will be held in English.

PROGRAM

Chair and discussion leader: Céline PAJON, Head of Japan Research, Center for Asian Studies, Ifri

• Gian Luca BURCI, Adjunct Professor at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and former Legal Counsel at the World Health Organization
  • The WHO and the COVID-19 pandemics: assessment and implications for the future of the organization

• Susan BERGNER, Research Fellow, SWP, Berlin
  • Europe and the COVID-19 crisis: challenges and opportunities for a EU global health strategy
     
• Kayo TAKUMA,  Professor, Tokyo Metropolitan University
  • Japan's role in the present and post-Covid global health governance
     
• Ryoji NORITAKE, CEO, Board Member of Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI)
  • Japan's experience in tackling COVID-19: reflection in terms of health governance