The Ambassador for Global Health

A world-wide Ambassador for a global priority

Global health has always been a major priority for French official development assistance (ODA). France led the international mobilization to fight the AIDS pandemic and was one of the founding members of the innovative organisations set in place to fight it: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, in 2002, and Unitaid in 2006. It is therefore essential to have a figure to represent our country within international organizations (the Ambassador for Global Health represents France in the governance of the Global Fund and Unitaid).

The Ambassador also helps design and put in place the French Strategy for Global Health, implemented by French actors all around the world. She coordinates the health-related work of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs with the Ministry for Solidarity and Health, in liaison with national and international advocacy and development NGOs, scientists, local governments, parliamentarians, philanthropic foundations, the private sector and others.

Stéphanie Seydoux, France’s Ambassador for Global Health

After studying literature at Oxford University and politics at Sciences Po Paris, Stéphanie Seydoux started her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She then joined ENA (Ecole nationale d’administration) and the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS) in 2004. From 2007 to 2010, she was Head of Equality Promotion at the French Independent Equality Commission, before serving as Deputy Ambassador at the French Embassy in Kenya. Back in France, she became Head of the French Women’s rights department from 2014 to 2017. Seydoux was appointed French Ambassador for Global health in 2018.