The Republic of Gabon became the fourteenth (14^th) member state deposited the instrument of ratification of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) to the AU Commission on 4^th October 2021 after ratifying it on the 1^st October 2021 in Libreville, Gabon. H.E. Amira Elfadil Mohammed, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, at the AU Commission received the instrument from the Ambassador of Gabon to Ethiopia and the African Union Amb. Hermann Imongault.

AMA aims to provide support for the improvement of weak regulatory systems. AMA will, among other functions, coordinate and strengthen ongoing initiatives to harmonize medical products regulation and enhance the competence of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) inspectors to do so. The Agency will further coordinate the collection, management, storage and sharing of information on all medical products including substandard and falsified medical products, with all its States Parties and globally.

To date, eighteen (18) member states have ratified the AMA Treaty and fourteen (14) of these have deposited the instruments of ratification to the Commission. The AMA Treaty will enter into Force 30 days upon the deposit of the 15^th instrument of ratification at the Commission.

Pending the deposit of the 15^th instrument of ratification, the Commission has invited member states to submit proposals for the hosting of the Africa Medicines Agency Headquarters. The Commission has also further extended the deadline for submission of interest to host the AMA up to 15^th October 2021, as per the ruling of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) on 6^th September 2021. The Commission expects to have the established AMA in 2022.

The African Union Commission encourages all its Member States to sign and ratify the Treaty for the establishment of AMA in the interest of public health, safety and security. The Treaty is available for signature at the Headquarters of the Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

About the African Medicines Agency (AMA)

The AMA Treaty was adopted by Heads of States and Government during their 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly on 11 February 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Medicines Agency aspires to enhance capacity of State Parties and AU recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to regulate medical products in order to improve access to quality, safe and efficacious medical products on the continent. AMA shall build on the efforts of the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative (2009), which is led by the Africa Union Development Agency - the New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD). The AMRH initiative provides guidance to AU recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Health Organizations (RHOs), to facilitate harmonization of regulatory requirements and practice among the national medicines authorities (NMRAs) of the AU Member States. AMA will be the second specialized health agency of the African Union after the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Further information should be directed to:

1. Mohamed Salem Boukhari Khalil, Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union Commission Tel: +251911405697; Email: KhalilM@africa-union.org

2. Dr. Margaret Agama-Anyetei, Ag. Director of Health and Humanitarian Affairs Directorate; Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, AU Commission; Tel: +251115182211; E-mail: Agama-AnyeteiM@africa-union.org

For further media inquiries, please contact:

1. Ms. Dorothy Njagi | Strategic Communication Expert, Directorate of Health and Humanitarian Affairs | Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission | Mobile: +251940559950 | E-mail: njagid@africa-union.org

2. Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communications Directorate | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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