President Joe Biden made his intentions clear soon after taking oath of office that his predecessor’s ‘America First’ approach to foreign policy would cease to exist. Amid a raging pandemic, the Biden administration initiated steps to reignite its global engagement, with health in the spotlight.
In a National Security Memorandum on US Global Leadership issued January 21, the President said the COVID-19 pandemic is a grave reminder that biological threats, whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate, can have significant and potentially existential consequences for humanity. The memorandum reaffirmed the Executive Order of November 4, 2016, which made clear that these threats pose global challenges that require global solutions.
Biden said the US’ international engagement to combat COVID-19 and advance global health security and biopreparedness was an urgent priority to save lives, promote economic recovery, and develop resilience against future biological catastrophes. “My Administration will treat epidemic and pandemic preparedness, health security, and global health as top national security priorities, and will work with other nations to combat COVID-19 and seek to create a world that is safe and secure from biological threats,” Biden said in the January Memorandum.
Four months on, let’s have a look at the steps taken by the new administration to reach out to the international community for a healthier world.
1. Strengthening and Reforming WHO
On January 20, the US reversed its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) and also resumed funding by submitting a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General. Biden sought recommendations from the Secretary of State, the Health and Human Services, the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies on how the US can exercise leadership at the WHO and work with partners to lead and reinvigorate the international COVID-19 response. He also called for suggestions on how to participate in international efforts to advance global health, health security, and the prevention of future biological catastrophes, and steps to strengthen and reform the WHO.
2. Leadership in Global Response to COVID-19
In a major move, Biden announced a departure from the Trump administration’s practice of not participating in the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator or COVAX. The US informed the WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, of the country’s intent to support the ACT Accelerator and join the multilateral vaccine distribution facility, known as the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. The administration is in the process of preparing a framework for donating surplus vaccines, once there is sufficient supply in the US, to countries in need, including through COVAX. Secretaries of State and HHS were pressed into service to chart out a plan focused on equitable development and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, tests, and personal protective equipment, such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
3. Review of Funding for COVID-19 Response and Global Health Security
In order to ensure that global health security considerations are central to US foreign policy, global health policy, and national security, the White House ordered a review of the funding allocated for the COVID-19 response, including the secondary impacts of the pandemic, as well as for global health security, global health, pandemic preparedness, and biodefense. The President sought an assessment of whether that funding, as well as funding for subsequent budgetary years, is sufficient to support operations and administrative needs related to the COVID-19 response, as well as future global health security and pandemic preparedness.
4. Financing for Global Health Security
Biden got the ball rolling for creating an enduring international catalytic financing mechanism for advancing and improving existing bilateral and multilateral approaches to global health security. The initiative has helped make strategic use of multilateral and bilateral channels and institutions, and assist developing countries in preparing for, preventing, detecting, and responding to COVID-19 and other infectious disease threats. Also, a strategy is being devised on how the US can promote in international financial institutions, including the World Bank Group and IMF, financing, relief, and other policies that are aligned with and support the goals of combating COVID-19 and strengthening global health security.
5. Rescinding Mexico City Policy
On January 28, Biden issued a Presidential Memorandum announcing that he was rescinding the Mexico City Policy, which was first announced in August 1984 by President Reagan. The policy required foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to certify that they would not “perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning” using funds from any source in order to receive US government global family planning assistance. Biden has said it’s the policy of his Administration to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in the US, as well as globally. He asserted that the Federal Government must take action to ensure that women at home and around the world are able to access complete medical information, including with respect to their reproductive health.
Conclusion: President BIden’s moves have been on expected lines after the previous Trump administration turned its back on the international community in the COVID-19 war, suspended funding for the WHO and gave up its membership. The steps had caused major embarrassment for the US globally. Biden wasted no time to control the damage. He was quick to announce how the WHO was vital to controlling COVID-19, and resumption of America’s role in the global public health and humanitarian response to the pandemic.
