The History and Evolution of Global Health Diplomacy

Abstract

International health cooperation has been integral to the development of diplomacy in the last century. Building on 160 years of collective attempts to combat diseases that cross national borders, it has developed into what is now called global health diplomacy. The purpose of this chapter is to analyse major milestones in this historical process and help global health diplomats acquire a better understanding of the context in which those changes occurred. Providing information on the driving forces, actors, venues and main achievements, it is structured around five chronological periods. They highlight the interface between the development of diplomacy and health diplomacy, and how they have influenced each other. The concluding section identifies some of the major challenges and opportunities ahead for global health diplomacy.