Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The increase in European support for the African Medicines Agency was announced in Brussels during the high-level event on the partnership between the European Union and the African Union on global health for equitable access, with the participation of the European Commission, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the African Union Development Agency - according to a statement. In Europe, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have come together to strengthen their support for the African Medicines Agency (AMA).
The European Commission announced a contribution of €10 million and Belgium a contribution of €4 million to AUDA-NEPAD, for the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative to further advance the establishment of the AMA. Y
This support for regulatory strengthening in Africa is part of the Team Europe initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa (MAV+).
AMRH supports the African Union Commission in establishing the governance of the AMA, as well as strengthening national and regional policy and legal frameworks and supporting the RECs in the coordination process and joint regulatory activities. AMRH also seeks to increase the number of qualified professionals in regulatory science and strengthen the Common Continental Assessment and Safety Monitoring of Health Products.
The contributions to AMRH complement the recently announced collaboration with the European Medicines Agency to support the establishment of the AMA, supported by a €10 million grant from the European Commission.
European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said: “I am pleased to announce today further support from the European Union for the establishment of the African Medicines Agency, a cornerstone of meeting Africa’s health needs. Protecting public health on our two continents and ensuring equitable access to safe and effective health products, including This includes locally produced vaccines and medicines, at the forefront of our joint EU-AU vision and the EU Global Health Strategy. We are strengthening our strong cooperation between our health institutions and agencies.
For its part, the current rotating Belgian presidency of the Union said, “We seek to strengthen the European Union’s close cooperation with African partners in the field of health. It is important that we increase our support for the global health strategy in Africa for equitable access through concrete initiatives. This is why we support the African integration project with a focus on health and the formation of the African Medicines Agency. “Therefore also focusing on social progress,” concluded Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation and Megacities Caroline Jenes.
“The activation of the African Medicines Agency represents a major milestone for the African continent. Harmonized regulatory regimes will open many opportunities for the local pharmaceutical industry. AUDA-NEPAD remains committed to providing technical leadership in the activation of the African Medicines Agency through our AMRH programme,” said AUDA CEO- NEPAD, Nardos Bekele Thomas, said that it “aims to strengthen our ongoing fight against substandard and counterfeit medical products.”
Emer Cooke, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency, said: “The EMA and the European Medicines Regulatory Network are passionate about supporting the strengthening of African regulatory systems. We look forward to sharing our unique experience and expertise in regulating medicines within the continent to help the AMA build an effective regulatory model and practices for the benefit of public health in Africa.
The AMA will be a specialized agency of the African Union. Its mission will be to strengthen the capacity of States Parties and Regional Economic Communities to regulate health products and improve access to high-quality, safe and effective health products on the African continent. As of March 2024, 27 countries have ratified the AMA Treaty.
The European Union and its Member States support regulatory strengthening across the African continent and the establishment of an AMA through the Team Europe initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa (MAV+). Under the Global Gateway Strategy, the initiative has so far mobilized around €157 million in grants for regulatory strengthening and potentially interventions at national and regional level, including from the European Commission to the World Health Organization, the European Medicines Agency and the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD. Africa development. .
AUDA-NEPAD continues to play a pivotal role in promoting the establishment of the African Medicines Agency. It is working to align its efforts and resources with international partners to strengthen organizational capacity at the continental, regional and national levels.