The United Nations’ procurement for health products and pathways for Chinas participation: A case study of United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund

Corresponding author: Huang Jiayan, jiayanhuang@fudan.edu.cn

DOI: 10.12201/bmr.202509.00043

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  Abstract: United Nations (UN) agencies are key actors in global procurement of health products, with the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) currently accounting for the largest share of UN procurement expenditures. This study developed a conceptual framework to analyze the processes of UN’s global procurement for health products. Based on this framework, the study analyzed the mechanisms and key characteristics of UN procurement practices, identified potential challenges faced by Chinese products and suppliers seeking to engage with the UN’s global procurement. The findings indicate a steady increase in the volume of Chinese products procured and their alignment with the UN’s sustainable procurement policies. However, Chinese suppliers still face notable barriers, including gaps in technical standards, bidding and contracting capacities, and price competitiveness. In addition, the strategic compliance capabilities of Chinese suppliers and products—such as the ability to offer strategically valuable products and build long-term partnerships—remains limited. Based on this, the study recommends that China enhance its participation and influence in the UN health procurements by stabilizing the production capacity, promoting knowledge-sharing among suppliers to enhance their engagement capabilities, and improving the long-term strategic competitiveness of Chinese enterprises in the global market.

  Key words: Procurement; Health products; United Nation; Global health governance; United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund

  Submit time: 18 September 2025

  Copyright: The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted biomedRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
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