Devex: Opinion: How the E.U. is battling against threats to the world’s health
Neven Mimica, E.U. commissioner for international cooperation and development

“…The European Union is strongly committed to playing a leading role in the global movement against [noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)]. We are supporting partner countries’ efforts to maximize health benefits on an equitable basis by strengthening health systems and policies … At the global level, the E.U. is bringing together global, national, and local partners to reinforce health systems and to promote a systemic approach in the fight against NCDs. … Tackling the burden of NCDs requires strong leadership in more than just the health sector alone. … NCD prevention and control strategies must therefore be multisectoral in nature. … 2018 will be a decisive year in the fight against NCDs, as the third high-level meeting on NCDs will take place in September 2018, in New York. It is also vital to feature the fight against NCDs in the debates on the post-2020 period that are currently unfolding in Brussels and in the other European capitals. Let us make sure that we make the most of these opportunities to create the conditions for fulfilling our global promise of reaching the [Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs)] targets, including the target on NCDs, by 2030” (7/2).