President Paul Kagame, on December 18, received his Ghanaian counterpart Nana Akufo-Addo and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties between Rwanda and Ghana in various areas including vaccine manufacturing.

Akufo-Addo is in Rwanda to attend the inauguration of BioNTech vaccine manufacturing plant, along with other high-level dignitaries including President Macky Sall of Senegal, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, among others.

Following an agreement with BioNTech, a renowned German biotechnology company, the manufacturing plant for mRNA-based vaccines was built in the Kigali Special Economic Zone located at Masoro-Munini, Gasabo District, in a section earmarked for biopharma manufacturing.

After months of dedicated efforts, including the shipping and installation of BioNTainers--facilities designed for manufacturing a variety of mRNA-based vaccines--the factory is now ready.

Spanning approximately 30,000 square metres, the Rwanda-based facility is equipped with BioNTainers specifically tailored for the production of mRNA and formulated bulk drug products.

The plant is expected to start by producing 50 million vaccines, but the production will increase depending on the demand. The facility is expected to become the first node in Africa's decentralised and robust end-to-end manufacturing network.

Aside from Kigali, BioNTech, in March, said it plans to ship BioNTainers to Senegal and "potentially" South Africa.

Vaccines from such infrastructures will be intended for people residing in member states of the African Union, to support access to novel medicines.

BioNTech is advancing mRNA-based vaccine candidates to address malaria and tuberculosis based on the Company's mRNA platform.

President Nana Akufo-Addo also attended the ground breaking ceremony of the construction of the plant in June 2022.