{"id":23543,"date":"2025-11-05T10:57:49","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T07:57:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africacdc.org\/?post_type=news-item&p=23543"},"modified":"2025-11-05T11:07:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T08:07:41","slug":"africa-and-europe-strengthen-the-au-eu-health-partnership","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/africacdc.org\/news-item\/africa-and-europe-strengthen-the-au-eu-health-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"Africa and Europe strengthen the AU-EU health partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Around 20 delegates from the European Union and the African Union, including 15 countries and 11 continental institutions, meet today in Pretoria to affirm action-oriented collaboration in the lead-up to the AU-EU Summit.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday, November 5<\/strong> \u2013 Pretoria, South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, guided by the principles of equity, security, and resilience, African and European delegates reaffirm their wide-ranging partnership on health as part of their annual high-level steering meeting, laying the groundwork for deeper cooperation ahead of the AU-EU Summit in Luanda, Angola (November 24-25, 2025) and marking the next phase in the broader 25-year AU-EU collaboration<\/a> (#AUEU25).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The high-level steering meeting on the AU-EU Health Partnership brings together key continental, regional, and national stakeholders, including an expected 30 delegates representing 15 countries and 11 continental institutions. The meeting is hosted by South Africa\u2019s Ministry of Health at the Faculty of Health Science at the University of Pretoria and is co-chaired by H.E. Amma Twum-Amoah, AU Commissioner of Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development of the African Union Commission; H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; Mr. Martin Seychell, Deputy Director-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), European Commission; and Ms. Heidy Rombouts, Director-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, Belgium Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Development Cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe AU-EU Health Partnership is more than a collaboration; it is a shared commitment to health security and health sovereignty,” states Dr. Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General. \u201cHealth sovereignty means a reformed global health architecture that centers countries and recognizes regional entities, sustainable health financing, data sovereignty, African manufacturing of health products, and of course, strong pandemic preparedness and response systems. Together, we can make this a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The overarching objectives of today\u2019s meeting are ensuring strategic alignment, informing and building consensus on health priorities and identifying areas of convergence around global health architecture and health financing. Specifically, Africa and Europe reaffirm their commitment to advancing Universal Health Coverage through sustainable, country-led health financing and building on Africa\u2019s leadership, the joint roadmap set by the Lusaka Agenda, the Seville Financing for Development Conference, the \u201cAccra reset,\u201d and the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. Together, both continents are charting a new era of global health diplomacy \u2014 one that strengthens domestic investment, promotes equity, and ensures resilient health systems for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHealth is central to the ambitions of Africans and Europeans,\u201d states H.E. Ambassador Javier Ni\u00f1o P\u00e9rez, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the African Union. \u201cAhead of the AU-EU Summit in Luanda, we share the commitment to keep health high on the global agenda in alignment with the European Union\u2019s Global Gateway strategy. No one is healthy unless everyone is healthy. The European Union will continue to be a reliable partner to Africa, also in this domain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2021, Africa and Europe have accelerated their partnership on health through five interconnected thematic areas: manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies (MAV+); sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR); sustainable health security using a “One Health” approach (HSOH); digital health for health systems strengthening and universal health coverage (DH); and support for public health institutes (PHI). This work builds on the trusted clinical research partnership between Africa and Europe (Global Health EDCTP3) that has been running since 2004. The multilateral and mutually beneficial approach to tackling health issues is delivering results, including stronger regulatory systems at the continental and national levels and the delivery of Team Europe donations of mpox vaccine doses to address the outbreak in Africa. Together, the two continents are working to ensure that all Africans can access safe, effective, and affordable medicines and vaccines quickly. (See Annex 2 for more examples of achievements so far.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, delegates foresee a number of potential key milestones in the cross-continental partnership related to global health diplomacy, strengthening the collaboration, and joint coordination of key initiatives, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n