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VOL. 8, ISSUE 2 (2026)
The geopolitics of vaccines and medical supply chains: Vaccine Nationalism, export controls, and diplomacy under competition
Authors
Eselakwe Emile Atehmbapang
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed vaccine
distribution and medical supply chains into a arena of intense geopolitical
contestation, where national self-interest frequently overrode multilateral
cooperation. This article examines how vaccine nationalism, export controls,
and competitive diplomacy functioned as intertwined geopolitical strategies
that reshaped global health governance and equity. Drawing on Geopolitical
Economy Theory, Soft Power Theory, and Global Supply Chain Governance, the
study posits that protectionist measures—including preemptive procurement by
developed nations, export bans by manufacturing countries like India, and
vaccine diplomacy by China and Russia—collectively fragmented supply chains,
undermined COVAX, and entrenched inequities between the Global North and South.
While these strategies enabled rapid domestic immunization for powerful
nations, they simultaneously delayed access for low-income countries and
transformed vaccines into instruments of state power. The research question
asks how these geopolitically driven mechanisms reconfigured the global vaccine
architecture and with what consequences for health equity. Empirical analysis
reveals that the multiplication of export controls and bilateral deals
correlates with weakened multilateralism and accelerated geopolitical
rivalries. The findings suggest that without binding global governance
mechanisms, future health emergencies will likely replicate similar patterns of
national hoarding and strategic maneuvering, perpetuating structural
asymmetries in global health security.
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Pages:319-324
How to cite this article:
Eselakwe Emile Atehmbapang "The geopolitics of vaccines and medical supply chains: Vaccine Nationalism, export controls, and diplomacy under competition". International Journal of Law, Policy and Social Review, Vol 8, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 319-324
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