The ongoing evolution of health governance in Africa has entered a pivotal phase of strategic realignment and institutional strengthening. In the week of 16–22 February 2026, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reaffirmed this trajectory in its weekly briefing, highlighting renewed collaboration with the recently operationalised African Medicines Agency (AMA). These developments mark a notable advance in Africa’s efforts to build resilient, sovereign health systems capable of preventing, detecting and responding to both endemic and pandemic-level threats.
At the heart of the recent engagement between Africa CDC and the AMA is a commitment to alignment rather than overlap. This phrase, emphasised by both leaders during a courtesy visit to the Africa CDC headquarters in Addis Ababa, encapsulates the evolving relationship between two key continental health institutions. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, and Dr Delese Darko, Director-General of AMA, stressed that their mandates are complementary: Africa CDC will continue to coordinate public health priorities and pooled procurement, while AMA focuses on regulatory standards, joint assessments and regulatory science.
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This clarification assumes particular significance against the backdrop of Africa’s broader move towards regulatory harmonisation, a process that seeks to reduce fragmentation in medical product regulation across the African Union’s 55 Member States. Universal ratification of the AMA Treaty remains a key objective for both institutions, as it would provide the legal foundation for continental regulatory coordination and harmonisation.
These institutional efforts occur within the broader context of the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) Agenda, which was endorsed during the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa earlier in February 2026. The AHSS Agenda reflects a strategic shift in Africa’s approach to health security, moving from reactive disease response to long-term resilience and self-reliance. It emphasises integrated disease surveillance, laboratory networks, workforce development, digital health transformation and local manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
A core component of this framework is scaling up local capacity to produce essential medical countermeasures. Under AHSS, the continent aims to manufacture at least 60 per cent of its essential medical products by 2040, a transformational target that would reduce dependency on external supply chains and support more equitable access to health technologies.
Beyond Outbreak Response
Africa’s recent experience with mpox provides a concrete illustration of how strengthened health systems can alter public health outcomes. In January 2026, Africa CDC lifted the classification of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, a milestone reflecting improved surveillance, genomic sequencing and coordinated responses across multiple countries. This demonstrates not only operational capacity but also a shift towards pre-emptive governance.
The focus on health sovereignty also dovetails with initiatives to expand digital and real-time data infrastructure. The African Union Assembly encouraged Member States to adopt the Africa CDC Data Sharing Agreement and accelerate implementation of the Africa Health Data Governance Framework, which are designed to enhance cross-border data flows and inform rapid policy responses.
Partnerships for Sustainable Impact
Collaboration is a defining feature of Africa’s current health security strategy. Beyond the alliance with AMA, Africa CDC has been active in expanding partnerships with international organisations and private entities. In mid-February 2026, Africa CDC and global nonprofit FHI 360 signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening workforce development, surveillance systems and emergency preparedness across the continent. This framework aligns with the Africa CDC 2023–2027 Strategic Plan and emphasises shared commitments to sustainable financing, innovation and locally led health initiatives.
Moreover, partnerships with commercial partners like Informa Markets, announced earlier in 2026, seek to enhance the scale and impact of flagship public health events such as the Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA). These convenings provide critical platforms for policy dialogue, research exchange and mobilisation of both public and private sector investment.
Africa’s drive for regulatory harmonisation and health sovereignty resonates with evolving global health governance dynamics. Historically, international frameworks such as the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and the World Health Organisation’s pandemic preparedness mechanisms have emphasised coordinated global action. Africa CDC’s strategic positioning seeks not only to meet these international standards but also to assert African leadership within global health forums, including representation in initiatives led by Gavi, the Global Fund and the Pandemic Fund.
In this context, regulatory harmonisation is not merely an administrative exercise; it is foundational to Africa’s ability to engage as an equal partner in global pharmaceutical markets, influence policy norms and ensure that regulation does not lag behind scientific and technological innovation.
The Road Ahead
The intensifying collaboration between the Africa CDC and the African Medicines Agency is not an isolated development. It forms part of a broader continental strategy, backed by AU Member States, to reorient health systems towards autonomy, resilience and equitable access. Achieving these objectives will require sustained political commitment, predictable financing, harmonised regulatory frameworks and institutional partnerships that transcend national boundaries.
As the continent prepares for upcoming health governance milestones, including the Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026) and ongoing regional integration efforts, the strengthened ties between Africa CDC and AMA signal a maturing public health ecosystem poised to shape the future of health security not only in Africa but within the global health architecture as a whole.
