Addis Ababa, September 11, 2023 – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the government of France have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to amplify their collaboration in the realm of public health. The signing ceremony took place at the Africa CDC Secretariat Offices in Addis Ababa, with H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, and Rémi Maréchaux, Ambassador of France to Ethiopia, signing the pivotal MoU.
The core objective of this MoU is to fortify Africa CDC’s endeavors in establishing resilient public health systems and enhancing health security throughout the continent. Key areas of cooperation outlined in the MoU encompass augmenting Africa CDC’s capacity, fostering the development of national public health institutes, reinforcing disease surveillance and emergency response capabilities, promoting local production of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, supporting workforce training, and nurturing research partnerships between French and African institutions.
H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya expressed his optimism about the agreement, stating, “The signing of this MoU solidifies our shared vision in nurturing a coordinated global response to global public health challenges. This action-oriented framework aims to advance the New Public Health order, enhance health workforce development, and strengthen public health systems for the benefit of all African citizens.”
This landmark MoU builds upon France’s enduring commitment to bolstering public health in Africa. France has played a prominent role in launching the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, generously contributing 10 million vaccine doses to the AVAT mechanism and 48 million doses to 40 African nations, primarily through the COVAX initiative, which strives for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The French Development Agency extended a €50 million line of credit to Afreximbank for the AVAT payment facility, facilitating vaccine procurement for Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Egypt. The AFD has allocated over €500 million to health initiatives in Africa through its “Santé en Commun” (Health in Common) initiative. France also shares technical expertise with Africa CDC in infection prevention and control (IPC) and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).
Furthermore, France stands as a prominent contributor to Team Europe Initiatives, closely aligned with Africa CDC’s priorities, such as enhancing pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity on the continent, with over €70 million mobilized to date. France also lends its support to regional health projects in West and Central Africa, fortifying Africa CDC’s objectives in diagnostics, surveillance, and regulatory affairs.
The signing of this MoU signifies the unwavering dedication of both France and Africa CDC to jointly confront major public health challenges in the best interest of the health, safety, and security of all African citizens.
