COVID-19 Responses Expose Gaps in Global Governance

The authors contend that the COVID-19 crisis has revealed a "crisis of confidence" in global institutions, specifically the World Health Organization (WHO), which has been hampered by member state limitations and political polarization. The text highlights the United States' decision to withdraw financial support from the WHO as a sign of retreating from a rules-based global system. To address these gaps, the paper recommends a total overhaul of global governance principles, increased fixed financial contributions to the WHO, the removal of trade barriers for medical equipment, and a redefinition of international peace and security to include global health threats within the UN Security Council's remit. It emphasizes that effective responses require farsighted leadership from the UN, G7, G20, and development finance institutions to ensure scientific collaboration and the provision of affordable medical supplies.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated a significant lack of unified global governance and a loss of trust in the institutions intended to lead international cooperation.
• The World Health Organization's effectiveness is limited by its member states, and it has faced criticism for its slow pandemic declaration, contradictory messaging on masks and social distancing, and perceived Chinese influence.
• The United States, the WHO's largest financial contributor, withdrew its support in 2020, which the authors view as part of a broader pattern of abandoning rules-based global governance, similar to its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
• The authors suggest that global health emergencies should be redefined as hard security threats to justify the UN Security Council's involvement, though they note developing nations may fear this would expand the veto power of the five permanent members.
• To restore institutional credibility, the authors propose increasing fixed contributions to the WHO—noting that currently less than 30 percent of its budget comes from such sources—and expanding its mandate to allow for more proactive, independent verification of health challenges.

APA

Turianskyi, Y., Gruzd, S., Sidiropoulos, E., & Grobbelaar, N. (n.d.). COVID-19 Responses Expose Gaps in Global Governance. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/COVID-19-Responses-Expose-Gaps-in-Global-Governance_REPORT.pdf

Chicago

Turianskyi, Yarik, Steven Gruzd, Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, and Neuma Grobbelaar. COVID-19 Responses Expose Gaps in Global Governance. South African Institute of International Affairs, n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/COVID-19-Responses-Expose-Gaps-in-Global-Governance_REPORT.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Turianskyi |first1=Yarik |last2=Gruzd |first2=Steven |last3=Sidiropoulos |first3=Elizabeth |last4=Grobbelaar |first4=Neuma |title=COVID-19 Responses Expose Gaps in Global Governance |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/COVID-19-Responses-Expose-Gaps-in-Global-Governance_REPORT.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{turianskyindcovid19, author = {Turianskyi, Yarik and Gruzd, Steven and Sidiropoulos, Elizabeth and Grobbelaar, Neuma}, title = {{COVID-19 Responses Expose Gaps in Global Governance}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/COVID-19-Responses-Expose-Gaps-in-Global-Governance_REPORT.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }