AU selects Rwanda to host HQ of new African Medicines Agency

The African Union mid-year coordination meeting ended Sunday in Lusaka, Zambia. Among the highlights, Rwanda's bid to host the headquaters of the African Medicines Agency was selected.

On July 14 and 15, the Executive Council of the African Union held its 41st Ordinary Session. The Council chose Rwanda to host the headquaters of the African Medicines Agency by the Executive Council.

Rwanda's Foreign minister to it to social media to express his happiness: "Thanks for all member states who supported Rwanda," Vincent Biruta tweeted. Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe had bidded.

According to the AU, AMA will "enhance capacity of state parties and regional economic communities (REC) to regulate medical products, to improve Africa’s access to quality safe, and efficacious medical products."

After the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), AMA will be the second specialized health agency of the continental body. The 55-member states hope to foster an enabling environment for pharmaceutical manufacturing thanks to this new body. The Covid-19 outbreak exacerbated challenges the health sector faces on the continent. Indeed, the AMA comes after a long journey wich started in 2009 with the establishment of the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation Initiative (AMRH).

On July 17, the AUC Chairperson and Chairpersons of each REC convened under the AU theme of the year 2022 "Building Resilience in Nutrition on the African Continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development".