The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the extent to which geopolitical dynamics have contributed to a failure of global leadership, the rise of vaccine nationalism, and the exacerbation of health inequities between high- and low-income countries. Furthermore, it has significantly reversed progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of health, poverty alleviation, and food security. In the context of escalating major power rivalries, enhancing the institutional capacities of regional organizations to anticipate, prevent, and respond to future health crises is imperative. Strengthening these mechanisms is essential not only to mitigating the adverse consequences of geopolitical competition but also to advancing health and human security at both the state and societal levels. This seminar examines the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in fostering regional cooperation on health security in the post-pandemic era.
About the speaker:
Mely Caballero-Anthony is Professor of International Relations at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, where she holds the President’s Chair in International Relations and Security Studies. She serves as Head of the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies and is the Associate Dean for External Engagement in International Studies at RSIS. She is also an Adjunct Professor of the Asian Centre for Health Security at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore.
Professor Caballero-Anthony’s research interests include regionalism and multilateralism in the Asia-Pacific, human security and non-traditional security, nuclear security, conflict prevention, and global governance. She has led several global and regional research projects on international security and global governance. Professor Caballero-Anthony has served as the secretary-general of the Consortium on Non-Traditional Security Studies in Asia since 2008 and is a member of the International Climate Security Expert Network. From 2011 to 2012, she was director of external relations at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat. From 2013 to 2017, Professor Mely was a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (ABDM) and served as its chair in 2016. She is also a member of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. She has been active in Track-Two diplomacy being a member of the Council for Security Cooperation of the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP) and regional networks like the ASEAN Institute of Strategic Studies (ASEAN-ISIS).
The Equitable Leadership in Global Health seminar series explores how inclusive and multidisciplinary leadership can transform global health systems. Join us to engage with international experts, share insights and discover strategies to drive meaningful change. The series is chaired by Professor Helena Legido-Quigley and organised by the School of Public Health, the Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics and the George Institute for Global Health UK.