The African Development Bank (AfDB) organized a meeting on the sidelines of its Annual Meetings which were held in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt from May 22 to 26, 2023. The objective was to discuss the creation of an African foundation for pharmaceutical technology with a view to optimizing the continent’s innovation and industrial development capabilities.
This initiative, supported by various government officials and African leaders, would enable Africa to strengthen its access to technologies and produce its own medicines and vaccines, in response to future pandemics.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB, highlighted the difficulties Africa has faced during the Covid-19 pandemic. He explained that the creation of the foundation was essential to ensure access to the technologies necessary for the production of vaccines and local medicines.
The AfDB’s Senior Advisor for Health and Pharmaceuticals, Padmashree Gehl Sampath, insisted on the crucial nature of this initiative for the health security of the continent.
During this event, several personalities took the floor, including Ms. Barbel Kofler from the Federal Republic of Germany, the Minister for International Cooperation of Egypt, Ms. Rania Al Mashat, and Markus Bernd from the European Investment Bank.
This initiative could help boost the regional economy by expanding the production of medicines, thereby creating jobs and building Africa’s capacity to meet future health challenges.
In sum, the creation of an African Foundation for Pharmaceutical Technology is an important step forward for Africa in its fight against pandemics, thus strengthening its independence and resilience.