African leaders on Tuesday pledged to accelerate efforts to expand local production of medicines, vaccines and other essential health products, as the continent seeks to reduce dependence on imports and strengthen resilience against future health crises.
The commitment was made during a high-level meeting held on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, where officials discussed the newly launched Africa Initiative for Medical Access and Manufacturing (AIM2030).
Kenyan President William Ruto said Africa must address infrastructure and technical capacity constraints if it is to achieve self-sufficiency in health products.
He said overcoming these bottlenecks would be essential for improving access to vaccines and medicines and strengthening the continent’s ability to respond to deadly diseases.
The initiative aims to expand domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and reduce vulnerabilities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many African countries struggled to secure timely access to vaccines and medical supplies.
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Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said building a strong pharmaceutical manufacturing base would improve Africa’s health security and contribute to broader development goals.
He urged African countries to explore innovative financing mechanisms and strengthen regional value chains to support local production and improve distribution across the continent.
According to officials, AIM2030 seeks to double Africa’s local manufacturing of health products while ensuring more equitable access and stronger health systems aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 development blueprint.
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Mohamed Yakub Janabi said the continent had learned important lessons from the pandemic about the risks associated with overreliance on global supply chains.
He described AIM2030 as a “bold commitment” by African governments and development partners to build more resilient healthcare systems through increased domestic production.
The initiative is supported by the World Bank and the African Union.
African governments have increasingly prioritised local pharmaceutical production in recent years as part of broader efforts to improve healthcare access, create industrial jobs and reduce import costs.
However, analysts say major challenges remain, including limited financing, weak industrial infrastructure, regulatory fragmentation and dependence on imported raw materials.
Despite these hurdles, proponents argue that stronger regional coordination and long-term procurement commitments could help create viable pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystems across Africa.
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The discussions in Nairobi come amid growing continental efforts to improve health sovereignty and reduce exposure to future disruptions in global medical supply chains.
