New Complexities and Approaches to Global Health Diplomacy: View from the U.S. Department of State

As the world has grown smaller with intensive transportation and communication advances, it has also grown more interdependent. Products and people are constantly on the move and fragile ecosystems are increasingly disturbed as development pushes into new areas. Environmental pressures or ineffective health systems are recognized for their local impact but also seen as potential sources of national and international political, economic, and social tension. In the 21st century it has become essential that foreign policy moves well beyond its earlier, more narrow focus on political, military, and commercial affairs. The urgent global challenges we face—climate change, global health, and food security— are now central to foreign policy and national security concerns. The term ‘‘global health diplomacy’’ embraces the challenges we face. International diplomatic engagement is essential for building global policies to address health issues, including HIV/AIDS, the current H1N1 pandemic, ongoing pandemic preparedness, insufficient global influenza vaccine supply and production capacity, growing concern over the spread of polio, maternal and child health, and structural health system challenges facing the developing world. Advancing foreign policy and national security objectives is dependent on diplomacy and development.