Algeria is committed to sharing its expertise in the pharmaceutical industry with other African nations. This commitment was reaffirmed by the Minister of Health, Mohamed El-Seddik Ait Messoudene, during the adoption of the “Algiers Declaration” at the African Ministerial Conference on Local Production of Medicines and Health Technologies.
Minister Ait Messoudene emphasized Algeria’s dedication to supporting continental cooperation and achieving the goals of health security and sustainable development. He stated that Algeria proudly offers its experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing to its African brothers and sisters.
The Minister highlighted the historical responsibility Africa faces regarding its health security, urging participating countries to transform the “Algiers Declaration” from a political document into a practical action plan. He also pointed out that the declaration embodies a commitment to continue working collectively to achieve shared objectives, primarily the removal of regulatory barriers to facilitate trade while ensuring high quality.
Ait Messoudene advocated for a more harmonized African trade bloc through a comprehensive review of procedures hindering the movement of raw materials and pharmaceutical products within the continent. He also lauded the declaration’s emphasis on unifying the legislative framework related to the pharmaceutical industries, calling for the adoption of unified legislative approaches to reduce legal and regulatory fragmentation and enable manufacturers to operate in a clear and transparent environment.
The “Algiers Declaration” includes a commitment from participating countries to establish a joint continental platform for aggregating orders for raw materials. The Minister urged the strengthening of African industrial cooperation to achieve desired integration through the distribution of roles according to each country’s technological and human capabilities.
Katarina Johannsen, the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Algeria, praised Algeria’s leadership with its African partners. She commended the enhanced dialogue on developing the pharmaceutical industry in Africa. Johannsen noted that the “Algiers Declaration” reflects a shared vision and a strong commitment to promoting sustainable industrial growth in the health sector. She revealed that UNICEF has formally committed to sourcing 20 percent of its global vaccine purchases from African manufacturers by 2035.
This commitment, according to Johannsen, is a significant step towards strengthening local production and ensuring access to essential medicines for children across the continent.
