«Global Health Diplomacy as a Component of the Modern System of International Relations»
Students Name: Kashchuk Solomiia Tarasivna
Qualification Level: magister
Speciality: International Relations
Institute: Institute of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Mode of Study: full
Academic Year: 2025-2026 н.р.
Language of Defence: ukrainian
Abstract: The master’s thesis is devoted to the analysis of global health diplomacy as a relatively new but increasingly important area of international cooperation that is emerging at the intersection of foreign policy, security and health policy. The relevance of the study is determined by deepening globalization, the emergence of new epidemic threats, the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the aggravation of humanitarian crises and armed conflicts, as well as the growing role of health on the global agenda, including in the context of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine. The object of study is the phenomenon of global health diplomacy as a new direction of international cooperation in the modern system of international relations, within which it is formed, developed, and functions. The subject of the study is the mechanisms, institutions, instruments, and established practices of global health diplomacy, as well as their impact on the formation of international health policy. The aim of the study is to study the features, mechanisms, institutions, instruments, threats, and prospects of global health diplomacy, as well as its impact on the formation of international health policy and leadership in today’s globalized world. To achieve this aim, the thesis analyses the current state of academic research on the topic, outlines the theoretical and methodological foundations of global health diplomacy, characterises governmental and non-governmental actors, examines the main stages of its development and best practices in addressing global problems, and identifies the key challenges and prospects for the further evolution of this phenomenon. Governmental and non-governmental actors in global health diplomacy are analysed, and it is established that the contemporary agenda in this field is shaped through a complex interaction among states, international organisations, civil society, the private sector and public–private partnerships. International NGOs, professional associations, patient movements and civil society coalitions have a significant impact on the content of global agreements — from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to documents on access to medicines. They provide expert support, monitoring and advocacy, make negotiations more transparent and inclusive, and counterbalance the excessive influence of commercial interests [1, 2]. The analysis of best practices in global health diplomacy demonstrates that it is multilateral cooperation, combined with political will and scientific capacity, that can deliver effective responses to contemporary challenges. One of the most important areas has been vaccine diplomacy, which has shown that no country can overcome a pandemic on its own. One of the main problems of contemporary diplomacy in the field of global health is the confrontation among several states over the reconfiguration of the global system of international relations. It has been established that recent vaccine diplomacy constitutes a form of “proxy rivalry” between China and the United States, as they use vaccine donations as a strategic asset to compete for influence and to be recognised as major global suppliers of health-related goods[4]. Thus, vaccine diplomacy is a critical dimension of the broader strategic competition between the US and China. The Ukrainian dimension of the rise of global health diplomacy clearly demonstrates that it is not only about vaccines, but also about the survival of the health-care system under conditions of full-scale war. The thesis underscores the need for institutional reforms, strengthening early-warning mechanisms, enhancing the financial and operational capacity of the WHO, and developing multisectoral strategies to reduce disaster risks [5]. In the future, global health diplomacy will succeed only if international efforts are consolidated, investments are made in resilient health systems, and a shift is made from reactive to proactive approaches. This will make it possible to ensure more effective preparedness for new global threats and will contribute to the formation of a safer and healthier world order. At the same time, more and more state actors are coming to the forefront in the field of global health diplomacy, especially authoritarian countries that offer assistance to recipient (poorer) states [3]. Keywords: global health diplomacy, international relations, WHO, vaccine diplomacy, global health governance, non-state actors, United States, China, Covid-19. References. 1. Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. (2021). A guide to global health diplomacy. Geneva: Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Retrieved October 27, 2026, from https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/sites/internet/files/2021-02/GHC-Guide.pdf 2. Katz, R., Kornblet, S., Arnold, G., Lief, E., & Fischer, J. E. (2011). Defining health diplomacy: Changing demands in the era of globalization. Milbank Quarterly, 89(3), 503–523. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0009.2011.00637 Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3214719/#b40 3. Katu Amina, H. (2025). The future of global health diplomacy: collaborating across borders. Research Output Journal of Public Health and Medicine, 5(2), 67–74. https://doi.org/10.59298/ROJPHM/2025/526774 Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://rojournals.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ROJPHM-52-P11-2025.pdf 4. Rinaldi, A. L., Lima, R. de C., & Apolinario, J. (2024). The US–China rivalry: health diplomacy and vaccine donations strategies. Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 54(3), 274–303. https://doi.org/10.1177/18681026241289153 Retrieved October 2, 2026, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/18681026241289153 5. Sharma, M., Akhter, M. S., Roy, S., & Srejon, R. (2025). Future issues in global health: challenges and conundrums. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(3), 325. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22030325 Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/3/325