INVITATION TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

What: Second Meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH)

When: Wednesday and Thursday, 4-5 March 2026

Where: Double Tree Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

Who: Convened by the African Union Commission (AUC) through the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development

Participants include:

• AU Member States Experts representing the five AU regions (Morocco – Northern Region; Togo – Western Region; Seychelles – Eastern Region; Zimbabwe – Southern Region; Burundi – Central Region)
• African Union Commission representatives (Secretariat of the TAC for RMNCAH)
• Regional Economic Communities (RECs), including West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO) and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC)
• Development partners and stakeholders including UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF and IPPF

Background:
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for RMNCAH was established to provide technical guidance, reviews and strategic recommendations to the Specialized Technical Committee on Health, Nutrition, Population and Drug Control (STC-HNPDC) on matters relating to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health across the continent

The TAC builds on key continental commitments, including:

• The 2010 AU Assembly Declaration on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
• The Africa Health Strategy 2016–2030
• The revised Maputo Plan of Action (2016–2030)
• The CARMMA Plus Roadmap (2021–2030)
• The AU Roadmap to 2030 on Sustaining the AIDS Response and Strengthening Health Systems

Despite progress, Africa still accounts for approximately 70% of global maternal deaths, with most of these deaths being preventable. Current progress remains insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030

The Second Meeting of the TAC for RMNCAH will review and adopt its Terms of Reference (ToR), elect rotating leadership, assess continental progress, and develop a comprehensive workplan for 2026–2028. The meeting will also prepare strategic recommendations to inform deliberations at the 6th STC-HNPDC in 2026

Objectives of the event are to:

1. Review and adopt the revised Terms of Reference and implementation modalities
2. Elect the TAC leadership, in line with the three-year rotational mandate
3. Take stock of continental progress on RMNCAH and consolidate strategic recommendations
4. Identify key priorities and develop the 2026–2028 workplan
5. Agree on timelines and preparations for the next physical meeting

Expected outcomes include:

1. Adoption of TAC leadership, governance structure and membership
2. Agreement on key priorities and recommendations for the STC-HNPDC
3. IDevelopment of the 2026 Plan of Action for the RMNCAH TAC

Participation at the event:
Attendance for members of the press is by invitation only.

Media representatives are invited to submit requests to attend or interview delegates to:

• Mr. Derrick Oduck Ochuot | Strategic Communication Expert, African Union Commission | Email: OchuotD@africanunion.org | Web: www.au.int