Since one and a half years, the COVID-19 pandemic has been dominating the political agenda, both domestic as well as foreign policy. The main issue is how government and societies can better prepare for future health crises and pandemics.
Further key aspects of crisis reaction are the increased information exchange, the establishment of early warning systems, the development of test- and diagnostic capacities as well as the improved mechanisms to develop vaccines, medicine, and systems for their distribution. To ensure the success of these measures the cooperation of all players will be crucial – state actors as well as non-state actors, civil society as well representatives of the private sector. The same applies to the cooperation between all the institutions responsible for crisis management and humanitarian assistance and their cooperation with international organizations and actors like the EU.
Input and Speakers:
Miguel Berger, State Secretary, Federal Foreign Office
Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme
Paraskevi Michou, Director-General, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), European Commission
Tobias Bergner, Senior Policy Fellow, DGAP
Welcome: Ambassador Rolf Nikel, Vice President, DGAP
Chair: Daniela Braun, Policy Advisor Foreign and Security Affairs, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung