The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in partnership with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, has officially launched the 2026 Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026).
Scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa from November 23 to 27, 2026, the forum will operate under the theme: “Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty: Transformation from Health Dependency and Vulnerability to Ownership and Resilience.” This flagship event is designed to align with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, aiming to transition the continent from a state of fragmentation and reliance on external aid toward a coordinated, self-reliant health ecosystem.
During the official launch in Addis Ababa, Ambassador Hadera Abera, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the conference symbolizes a collective determination to build a healthier, more resilient continent.
He noted that CPHIA 2026 is a necessary vehicle to move Africa away from systemic vulnerabilities and toward a future where it takes full ownership of its health challenges. By bringing together governments, scientists, and policymakers, the conference will serve as a strategic platform to advance Africa-led solutions, strengthen local health systems, and accelerate the implementation of the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) agenda recently adopted by the African Union.
The scale of the 2026 summit is expected to be unprecedented. Dr. Raj Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General of Africa CDC, highlighted the rapid growth of this initiative, noting that while the inaugural session in 2021 hosted 2,500 participants, the 2026 edition in Ethiopia is targeting an ambitious 30,000 attendees.
This surge in participation reflects the increasing importance of the forum as the continent’s premier venue for evidence-based policy and scientific exchange. Hosting the event in Addis Ababa further solidifies Ethiopia’s status as a central diplomatic and institutional hub, being the home of the African Union and various global agencies dedicated to the continent’s development.
At its core, CPHIA 2026 aims to tackle the most pressing health issues through a multi-sectoral approach. It will connect political leaders and private sector actors with researchers and program implementers to discuss critical breakthroughs and innovations.
Key priorities include reinvesting in primary healthcare, fostering regional market efficiency for medical supplies, and ensuring that the decision-making power regarding health security rests firmly with African member states.
As the continent prepares for this historic gathering, the focus remains on mobilizing Africa’s own wealth and innovation to safeguard its medical future and ensure that the “Durban Promise”—a commitment to health sovereignty—is fully realized.
