Africa: WHO Director-General's Remarks On the Launch of a Communiqué On the Development of Pharmaceuticals for Global Public Health - 8 November 2022

8 November 2022
World Health Organization (Geneva)
press release

Your Excellency Prime Minister Mia Mottley,

Your Excellency President Mohamed Irfaan Ali,

Your Excellency President Paul Kagame,

Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,

One of the most important lessons of the pandemic is that manufacturing capacity for medicines, diagnostics vaccines and other tools is concentrated in too few countries.

Expanding local production, and strengthening local regulatory capacity, are essential for reducing health inequities between and within countries - not only for the pandemics of tomorrow, but to treat the diseases of today.

At the World Health Assembly last year, WHO's Member States approved a resolution for strengthening local production of medicines and other health technologies.

As you know, last year WHO and partners established the mRNA Technology Transfer Hub in South Africa.

And earlier this year I was delighted to be in Rwanda for the groundbreaking of a new manufacturing facility in Kigali.

International networks can also play a crucial role in expanding local production, such as this new partnership between Latin American and the Caribbean and Africa.

I welcome the communiqué you are launching today, which emphasises the importance of expanding not only manufacturing capacity, but also regulatory capacity, with technical expertise and the trust of communities.

Last year, the Africa Medicines Agency treaty entered into force, paving the way to improve the quality, safety, efficacy, availability and affordability of medicines and vaccines - for use in Africa and around the world.

I'm also pleased to see your commitment to establishing new manufacturing capacity with a strict net zero emission rule - which is very fitting as this announcement is taking place on the side lines of COP27.

Once again, my thanks to Barbados, Guyana and Rwanda for your leadership in enhancing manufacturing capacity of essential health products for your regions, and for the world.

We look forward to working with you for a healthier, safer and fairer future for all people.

I thank you.

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