Prime Highlights
- The EU and AU signed three €100 million agreements targeting disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, and digital health across African nations.
- Commissioner Síkela declared that investing in global health is a strategic necessity, with a broader global health resilience initiative set to launch in May.
Key Facts
- Africa CDC is the operational partner for all three initiatives, driving Africa’s health security agenda.
- Past outbreaks like COVID-19, mpox, and Marburg highlight why health preparedness investment is critical.
Background
The African Union and the European Commission signed three agreements worth €100 million to boost Africa’s health systems. Officials launched the initiatives at the African Union headquarters, with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela and Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya presiding over the event.
The first agreement supports national public health institutes across 10 African countries, which will develop their capabilities for disease surveillance and early warning systems, emergency response and research and laboratory services. The second addresses antimicrobial resistance and builds a workforce trained in a One Health approach to detect and prevent threats across animals, humans, and the environment. This agreement was announced at the One
Health Summit in Leon earlier in the month. The third expands digital health solutions for pandemic preparedness and strengthens primary healthcare systems across six African countries.
Síkela stated that health remains a top priority for the EU, even as the geopolitical landscape shifts. He further emphasized that investment in global health is not just an act of symbolism but a strategic move since health issues affecting one part of the world can soon turn into a global crisis. According to Dr Kaseya, this investment will enable
Africa to create robust health systems that will make it less dependent on other health priorities.
Both officials confirmed that the EU and AU are jointly developing a global health resilience initiative, expected to launch in May. Ethiopian Health Minister Dr Mekdes Daba also welcomed the agreements, warning that health crises spread fast, citing COVID-19, mpox, and the recent Marburg outbreak as clear examples.
