Egypt and the African Union Development Agency–New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) have agreed to establish a long-term cooperation framework to expand local production of essential medicines, vaccines and medical technologies across Africa.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, Dr. 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 Ministry of Health.
The initiative aims to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported pharmaceutical products, strengthen regional manufacturing capacity and improve access to essential medical supplies.
Africa faces significant challenges in meeting its pharmaceutical needs through domestic production. The continent manufactures only a small proportion of the medicines it requires and relies heavily on imports, leaving healthcare systems vulnerable to international supply disruptions, particularly during public health emergencies.
Under the proposed framework, Egypt and AUDA-NEPAD plan to strengthen cooperation in technology transfer, pharmaceutical manufacturing, regulatory harmonization, supply chain development and workforce training.
A key priority is expanding local production of vaccines and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which are essential components of medicines. Increasing domestic manufacturing could help African countries improve supply security and reduce reliance on external suppliers.
The initiative also seeks to strengthen pharmaceutical regulatory systems across the continent. Greater coordination among national regulators could facilitate cross-border trade, improve quality standards and streamline approval procedures for medical products.
The framework is expected to establish coordination mechanisms, designated focal points and follow-up procedures to support implementation.
The discussions also highlighted the need to mobilize investment for pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, laboratories and other critical healthcare infrastructure.
Both sides identified cooperation with African development finance institutions, including the African Development Bank, and international development partners as a potential means of financing priority health projects.
However, specific funding commitments, implementation deadlines and project targets have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Africa’s pharmaceutical market offers opportunities for industrial development as demand for medicines and healthcare services continues to grow. Expanding local production could create skilled jobs, strengthen research capacity and retain more economic value within African countries.
Egypt is expected to contribute its pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities, laboratory networks and regulatory experience to the partnership.
Abdel Ghaffar reaffirmed Egypt’s readiness to share its expertise and support efforts to strengthen health sovereignty across Africa.
The cooperation could include technical exchanges, professional training and collaboration among pharmaceutical manufacturers and regulatory authorities.
Beyond drug and vaccine production, the agreement covers broader efforts to improve public health preparedness and healthcare delivery.
The delegations discussed strengthening disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostic capacity and early-warning systems to improve responses to outbreaks and other health emergencies.
Developing interconnected regional supply chains could also help African countries maintain access to essential medical products when international supplies are disrupted.
The talks further addressed universal health coverage, including primary healthcare delivery, public health insurance and sustainable healthcare financing.
Expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing could support these objectives by improving the availability of essential medicines, although affordability will also depend on production costs, competition and effective distribution systems.
The proposed partnership represents a broader effort to strengthen African cooperation in healthcare and reduce vulnerabilities associated with dependence on external suppliers.
Its success will depend on securing investment, transferring technology, developing skilled workers and translating the strategic framework into practical projects.
As implementation plans are developed, the initiative could contribute to stronger pharmaceutical industries, improved health security and greater economic self-reliance across the continent.
