Participants at the African Ministerial Conference on Local Pharmaceutical Production and Health Technologies, held in Algiers, concluded the event with the adoption of the ‘Algiers Declaration’. This declaration establishes a common framework aimed at bolstering health sovereignty across Africa and reducing reliance on imports.
The declaration is the culmination of two days of discussions involving ministers of health and pharmaceutical industries, alongside representatives from African and international bodies. The conference was held under the patronage of the President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, with the participation of 29 African nations.
The text of the declaration was presented by the Minister of Pharmaceutical Industry, Wassim Kouidri, before its official adoption by all participating countries. The ‘Algiers Declaration’ comprises 13 collective commitments designed to strengthen the local and regional pharmaceutical industry. This will be achieved through the development of pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing hubs, and the promotion of public-private partnerships to enhance industrial capabilities and stimulate long-term investments.
The declaration also emphasizes the importance of strengthening national regulatory agencies and accelerating the harmonization of regulatory standards through the African Medicines Agency and the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization program. This aims to ensure the quality and efficacy of health products. Furthermore, it stresses the support for mutual recognition of regulatory decisions between regional groups to facilitate access to medicines, vaccines, and medical devices.
The declaration also calls for enhanced technology transfer and local innovation, in addition to developing human capital through collaboration between universities, research institutions, and industry. African and international financial institutions, such as the African Development Bank, Afreximbank, and the Islamic Development Bank, are urged to provide innovative financing mechanisms for producers and buyers. The declaration advocates for the promotion of pooled procurement mechanisms at both regional and continental levels to ensure sustainable local markets, competitive prices, and reduced fragmentation of demand.
The ‘Algiers Declaration’ aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, taking into account the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need to strengthen local production capacities and ensure access to funding for pharmaceutical projects.
Participating countries acknowledged Algeria’s role as host and recognized its progress in covering over 82% of national pharmaceutical needs through local production, highlighting it as a model for developing the African pharmaceutical industry.
