Shaping the new Global Health Resilience Initiative

In her 2025 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen announced the EU’s ambition to strengthen its role as a leader in global health. Against a backdrop of declining global official development assistance (ODA) and significant changes in investment and prioritisation across the health sphere, global health has emerged as a major policy priority for the EU.    

As part of this health leadership vision, von der Leyen has introduced the Global Health Resilience Initiative (GHRI). Resilience is a fundamental component of health systems at local, national and global levels. It enables effective preparedness, response and post-crisis recovery in the face of both anticipated and unforeseen health threats and global challenges. Although the precise structure and scope of the GHRI remain unclear, it is crucial to identify and consider the key factors that should inform the design of this initiative. This panel convenes a diverse group of global health experts to provide insight into the priorities, objectives and strategies to guide the design and implementation of the GHRI.