GLOHRA has sent an open letter to the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Reem Alabali Radovan, expressing deep concern over the planned funding cuts to bilateral international cooperation programs, including the DAAD's international university partnerships and the Hospital Partnerships Program.
Representing a network of more than 1,500 researchers from over 250 research institutions across Germany, GLOHRA urges the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to reverse these cuts. The letter emphasizes that these programs are essential for strengthening research capacity, supporting equitable long-term partnerships, and translating scientific knowledge into stronger health systems and improved clinical practice.
Key messages include:
- Protecting long-term research partnerships
Bilateral cooperation programs provide unique opportunities to build sustainable institutional partnerships, strengthen research and higher education capacity, and foster mutual learning between Germany and partner countries. - Strengthening global health security
Long-term scientific collaboration improves preparedness for cross-border health threats by supporting disease surveillance, clinical expertise, and resilient health systems before crises emerge. - Advancing Germany's strategic interests
Investments in international research partnerships also benefit Germany by strengthening pandemic preparedness, scientific innovation, access to knowledge, and economic competitiveness, as outlined in GLOHRA's position paper, The Double Dividend. - Safeguarding irreplaceable structures
Many of the affected partnerships have been built over decades and cannot easily be replaced through other funding mechanisms. Their loss would weaken Germany's development, health, science, foreign, and security policy objectives.
GLOHRA calls on the BMZ to maintain and strengthen these bilateral funding programs and looks forward to engaging with the Ministry on the future of international research partnerships for global health.