The just-concluded African Union (AU) meeting will be remembered for its courage. Just a few weeks after a devastating terrorist attack in Kampala, the AU still convened in Uganda's capital city to tackle our most urgent priorities.

With the attacks still on our minds and just a few days to hold discussions, it was inspiring to see that heads of state made time for meetings of the recently formed African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA).

ALMA, a group dedicated to finding new solutions to malaria, has pledged to make real progress against the disease with every tool available to the international community, including bed nets, indoor residual spraying and top-quality drugs. We also need to start thinking about new tools, including a malaria vaccine, which could complement existing interventions.

Vaccines and immunisation services have been critical to improving Africa's health over the last several decades. Several years ago, when I started working in pharmaceuticals, a malaria vaccine was only a distant dream. But today, the leading malaria vaccine candidate is in Phase III trials in seven countries across Africa. RTS,S, as the vaccine candidate is known, is the result of years of collaboration.

It originated in GlaxoSmithKline's laboratories more than two decades ago, and for the last 10 years has been evaluated by leading African researchers in partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative. So far, 10,000 infants and young children have been enrolled in this pivotal trial in some countries.

The vaccine candidate is approaching the end of a long journey. Trial results have consistently shown that RTS,S has an acceptable safety profile and could reduce the risk of malaria by half in children living in malaria-endemic regions in sub-Saharan Africa. Clinical studies have also shown that RTS,S can also be used alongside other vaccines given routinely to infants, such as those for tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio and measles. If all goes well, general implementation of RTS,S for infants would be possible within five years or so.

With a malaria vaccine candidate on the horizon, now is the time to prepare for its introduction. We need to start thinking about how to ensure RTS,S reaches those who need it most: Africa's children.

The process could start by engaging groups like ALMA and international organizations such as the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and the Global Fund, which have helped finance and introduce the best malaria interventions over the last decade.

Policymakers will need to design a policy framework and strengthen health systems, so that, once the day comes and if appropriate, a malaria vaccine may be used together with the existing malaria control programmes.

These efforts can build upon work that is already underway for other new tools, such as rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines. For our part, GSK is doing all that it can to ensure that the price of RTS,S will not be a barrier to its use. GSK believes in broad collaboration to advance research against diseases like malaria and is also opening up its library of compounds of potential malaria drugs for researchers anywhere in the world to pursue.

All over the world, countries, multilaterals, NGOs and scientists are motivated to advance the fight against malaria. ALMA is a great example of what Africans can do when we work together on the highest level. In the years ahead, as the vaccine candidate gets closer to implementation, I hope ALMA and its friends gather at another African Union meeting to discuss new malaria interventions such as RTS,S, should PhaseIII results confirm studies to date.

We have to start working together now to make sure Africa is ready for a vaccine. One day there may be the means to save many more lives and change the equation in the fight against malaria for good.

Mr Seye has served as vice president, sub-Saharan Africa for GlaxoSmithKline since 2006 and has worked at GSK since 1990