The two meetings happening this week in London and Geneva emphasised the critical importance of promoting locally led agendas and deepening partnerships.
As leaders gathered this week in London for the Global Partnerships Conference and in Geneva for the 79th World Health Assembly, one message was clear: global health is entering a new era. For organisations working alongside governments and communities, the pressing question is how global commitments can translate into practical support for more effective, equitable and resilient health systems.
The Global Partnerships Conference, held on 19-20 May, was co-hosted in London by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the South African Government, British International Investment and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. The event was an opportunity to bring together governments, the private sector, civil society and development organisations to imagine the future of international cooperation. Its three areas of focus — sustainable finance, access to knowledge and technology and country-led partnerships — reflect a wider shift in how development is financed, structured and delivered. The conference culminated in a formally written agreement on shared commitments moving forward, a major pillar of which was equitable partnerships — the idea that we “shift power so countries, communities and local actors lead, with partnerships supporting, not substituting for, local systems and leadership, and decision-making and resources closer to those best placed to deliver.”
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The same shift was debated in Geneva at the 79th World Health Assembly, taking place from 18 to 23 May. As the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, the Assembly is where Member States take stock of global health priorities and agree the commitments that shape collective action. This year, discussions on the global health architecture were front and centre, alongside conversations relating to health emergencies and pandemic preparedness. These topics were made all the more urgent by the Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, which the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 May.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and global health institutions have invested significant effort in strengthening pandemic preparedness, but discussions at the WHA show that the risks continue to evolve. Pandemic threats, climate-related shocks, conflict, antimicrobial resistance and disease outbreaks do not respect borders and require cooperation across countries, sectors and institutions. Critically, they also depend on sustained and consistent investment and on the strength of local and national health systems.
Malaria Consortium’s Chief Executive, Dr James Tibenderana, reinforced this as a key takeaway. “Health financing should also be considered as an investment in human capital for national development, moving beyond government budgets for disease control and elimination,” he says.
This is where the conversations in London and Geneva intersect. Sustainable finance, locally led development and stronger multilateral cooperation are not separate agendas. They are all part of the same challenge: how to build systems that can protect health, respond to crises and deliver everyday essential services for people most at risk.
For malaria, this is particularly important. Progress against the disease depends not only on effective tools, but also on the systems that deliver them: community health workers, supply chains, surveillance, data, primary healthcare and trusted relationships between health services and communities. The same systems that help prevent, diagnose and treat malaria are also vital for detecting outbreaks, reaching underserved populations and maintaining services during emergencies.
The shift from international delivery to system strengthening must be accompanied by a genuine shift in resourcing. In practice, this would look like more funding flowing directly to local and national civil society organisations. Shifting the power also requires genuine partnership to enact real change. At Malaria Consortium, these discussions resonate strongly with our experience of working alongside governments, communities, local organisations and technical partners. Sustainable progress depends on partnerships that are grounded in national priorities and responsive to local realities. It also depends on ensuring that global commitments translate into practical support for the people and systems delivering health services every day.
“The concept of doing more with less is real. Every stakeholder is facing constraints that could stifle innovation, problem solving and transformative thinking,” says James Tibenderana. “These global platforms provide valuable opportunities to keep sight of both the short-term issues and maintain hope in the long-term goal of better health for all.”
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Learnings from both London and Geneva events is that global health cannot be strengthened through fragmented action and short-term results. Financing, technology, country leadership, pandemic preparedness and disease control must be treated as connected priorities, not competing agendas. The systems that deliver malaria prevention and treatment are the same systems that support outbreak detection, community engagement, surveillance and continuity of care during crises.
That means investing in strong, connected health systems that can meet today’s health needs while preparing for tomorrow’s threats — and ensuring that the countries and communities most affected are central to shaping the solutions.
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