Geneva has been the world’s health-capital for a long time. It hosts the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), and the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI). Doctors without Borders (MSF), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are coordinating their worldwide activities from Geneva. Furthermore, research and development concerned with health issues is being conducted in Geneva, for example by DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative) and the Health Centre of Geneva’s Graduate Institute. This broad variety of health policy actors is complimented by a number of NGOs and big pharmaceutical companies. The geographical proximity of all important global health stakeholders creates room and synergies for high level events.

The health sector is of high importance to the Permanent Mission, centered on the cooperation with WHO, UNAIDS, GFATM and GAVI. Main topics on the German agenda for global health policies are the strengthening of health systems, Universal Health Coverage as well as the prevention of future pandemics and antimicrobial resistances.