The African Union (AU) Commission, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Rwanda, is convening the Second Extraordinary Session of the Conference of States Parties (CoSP) to the African Medicines Agency (AMA) Treaty from 19-20 June 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda. The main objectives of the meeting are to: Appoint the Members of the AMA Governing Board; Consider and adopt the revised Terms of Reference of the AMA Director General; and Determine the date and venue of the Second Ordinary Session of the CoSP – all in a bid to fast-track the operationalisation of AMA.
The 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly adopted the Treaty for establishing the African Medicines Agency (AMA) on 11 February 2019, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The AMA Treaty came into force on 5 November 2021 following the deposit of the 15th instrument of ratification.
The effective operationalisation of AMA is envisioned to enhance the capacity of State Parties and the African Union (AU) recognised Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to regulate medical products and technologies to improve access to quality, safe and efficacious medical products on the continent.
The Conference of State Parties (CoSP) to the AMA Treaty is the highest policy-making organ of the AMA. The CoSP shall comprise all AU Member States who ratify or accede to the AMA Treaty and shall be represented by Ministers responsible for Health or their duly authorised representatives. The Conference of the State of Parties meets once every two (2) years in ordinary sessions and an extraordinary session at the request of the Chairperson, Bureau, Governing Board or two-thirds of the State Parties.
The First Ordinary Session of the CoSP took place on 1- 2 June 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the Session, the CoSP established and adopted its Rules of Procedures, elected its Bureau representation, and endorsed the Assessment Report for hosting the AMA Headquarters. Additionally, upon the unanimous decision of the CoSP to hold an Extraordinary Session of the CoSP before the end of 2022, the AU Commission organised the First Extraordinary Session on 3-4 November 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“We are delighted that AMA has found its home here in Kigali, Rwanda to serve all Africans. The Government of Rwanda is committed to do the needful to ensure a conducive environment for the agency as our common goal is to create a strong drug regulatory body for our continent,” said Honorable Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Rwanda Minister of Health.
“A more robust, harmonised drug regulatory environment, including cooperative commercial authorisation of medicines developed by African pharmaceutical companies, as envisioned by the AMA, is an integral part of a well-functioning ecosystem for health vital to health security, universal health coverage, and healthy populations. The AMA, therefore, has a crucial role in improving the health and well-being of Africans toward the achievement of the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. The AMA can help grow Africa into a resilient manufacturing powerhouse bringing African solutions to impeding socioeconomic challenges, which will boost the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), unifying AU Member States. I encourage collective effort from all AU Member States to operationalise AMA,” noted H.E. Amb. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission.
The meeting participants will consider and adopt a comprehensive report on the meeting outcomes and way forward.
For further media inquiries, please contact:
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Mr. Julien M. Niyingabira | Health Communications Division Manager Rwanda Biomedical Centre / Ministry of Health | E-mail: julien.niyingabira@rbc.gov.rw
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Ms. Whitney Mwangi | Health Communication and Advocacy Specialist AIDS Watch Africa Secretariat, Directorate of Health and Humanitarian Affairs | Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission | E-mail: WhitneyM@africa-union.org
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Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org
Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia I Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram| YouTube |
