Egypt has agreed with the African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) programme to develop a long-term cooperation framework to expand local production of medicines, vaccines and medical technologies across Africa and identify priority healthcare projects for financing and implementation.
The agreement was discussed during a meeting between Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and AUDA-NEPAD Chief Executive Nardos Bekele-Thomas on the sidelines of the World Health Summit in Berlin, according to Egypt’s Health Ministry.
The proposed framework would identify priority initiatives, focal points and implementation and follow-up mechanisms, with a focus on strengthening local production and improving access to essential medicines, vaccines and medical technologies across the continent.
Discussions covered pharmaceutical regulation, drug and vaccine manufacturing, technology transfer and the development of more resilient medical supply chains to reduce Africa’s dependence on external sources.
The two sides also discussed mobilising investment and development financing for priority healthcare infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing projects. The ministry did not announce specific projects, funding commitments or an implementation timetable.
Egypt expressed its readiness to draw on its pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, regulatory experience and healthcare expertise to support African health systems and expand access to medical products and services.
The proposed cooperation would also cover professional training and regulatory capacity building, alongside disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness, laboratory capabilities and emergency response.
The meeting also addressed primary healthcare, universal health coverage and health insurance, with both sides discussing ways to strengthen healthcare systems across the continent.
Egypt and AUDA-NEPAD further agreed to identify potential joint health projects that could be developed in cooperation with African financing institutions and international development partners.
