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Context: The Global Cooperation Barometer 2024, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and developed in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, highlights significant challenges faced by the world in the last three years.

Key Highlights of the Report

Challenges in the Last Three Years

• The world has faced significant challenges in the last three years, including setbacks in global health cooperation and a rise in violent conflicts.
• The report indicates a decline in overall global cooperation since 2020.

Global Cooperation Barometer 2024

• The report, titled "The Global Cooperation Barometer 2024," was released on January 8, 2024, ahead of the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
• Developed in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, the barometer used 42 indicators to measure five pillars of global cooperation between 2012 and 2022.

Five Pillars of Global Cooperation

• The five pillars assessed are trade and capital; innovation and technology; climate and natural capital; health and wellness; and peace and security. 

Health and Wellness Pillar

• The report examined the impact of global cooperation on enabling people worldwide to lead longer and healthier lives.
• Emphasis on understanding the burden of disease, life expectancy, quality of life, global public health standards, and collaboration through goods flows, research and development (R&D), intellectual property (IP), and health financing.

Pre-2020 Trends in Health Cooperation

• Before 2020, most indicators of health cooperation, such as health development assistance, trade in health goods, and health-related R&D and IP flows, grew slowly and steadily.

Positive Outcomes (Pre-2020)

• Health outcomes like life expectancy, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and maternal and child mortality improved from 2012 through 2019.
• Factors contributing include increased healthcare development aid and global efforts to address preventable and controllable diseases.

Impact of COVID-19 on Health Cooperation

• As the immediate impact of COVID-19 subsides, global health cooperation appears to be decreasing but remains above 2019 levels for certain metrics.
• Reductions in child mortality continue, but overall life expectancy and DALYs suffered due to COVID-19-related deaths and diverted resources.

Global Health Challenges Post-COVID-19

• Challenges include increased malaria cases and deaths, a rise in maternal mortality rates, and negative impacts on life expectancy.
• The report emphasizes the need to redouble efforts on chronic health and wellness challenges beyond pandemic responses.

Areas Requiring Redoubled Cooperation

• International partnerships for basic research on health conditions, addressing synthetic drug proliferation, improving mental health outcomes, and engaging ageing populations.

Conclusion

• The report emphasizes the challenges and changes in global cooperation, particularly in the health and wellness sector, and underscores the importance of continued collaboration in addressing various health-related challenges on a global scale.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Which organization collaborated with the World Economic Forum on the Global Cooperation Barometer 2024? A. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) B. McKinsey & Company C. World Bank D. International Labour Organization (ILO) Answer: B Explanation: The Global Cooperation Barometer 2024 was developed in collaboration with management consultants McKinsey & Company.