What: High level dialogue and media briefing between the African Union Commission and the European Union to Strengthen Health Partnership between Africa and Europe

When: Monday, 05 February 2024

Time: 14:00 – 14:30 EAT,11:00 – 11:30 GMT

Where: African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Small Conference Hall 3)

Who: The high level dialogues is jointly organized by The African Union Commission, thorough its Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, and the European Union.

Speakers: H.E. Minata Samate CESSOUMA, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission;

H.E. Caroline Gennez, Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities;

H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC;

H.E. Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety; 

Why: At the 6th EU-AU Summit held in Brussels in 2022, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the right to health. Representatives of the European Union and its member states will visit the African Union in Addis Ababa from February 5 to 7, 2024, to dialogue towards strengthening Africa-EU cooperation on health. This mission is part of the Belgian EU Presidency's aim to accelerate equal access to health and strengthen the Africa-EU partnership on Global Health. This partnership is going to be a precursor to the Belgian EU Presidency's high-level event on health, which will take place in Brussels with the African Union on March 20, 2024.

The mission further provides an opportunity to strengthen the Africa-EU Global Health Partnership by focusing on delivering within the framework of the New Public Health Order for Africa, the EU Global Gateway strategy, and the "Team Europe Initiatives." to increase the resilience of European and African health systems in response to the rapidly changing health burden, climate change-related health challenges, emerging pandemics, and to promote collaboration on global health issues.

Objectives:

The objectives of the high-level health and humanitarian aid meetings are to:

• Consolidate the Africa-EU Global Health Partnership, particularly in context of the New Public Health Order for Africa, and the EU Global Gateway strategy and the “Team Europe Initiatives”.
• Ramp up the resilience of African and European health systems in response to the rapidly evolving health burden as well as climate change-related health challenges and emerging pandemics.
• Explore ways in which the AU and EU could further work together on humanitarian policy and action, paying special attention to underfunded and forgotten humanitarian crises.

Expected outcome:

1. Announcement of multiple cooperation agreements between the African Union and the European Commission.
2. Enhanced collaboration on global health issues between the African Union and the European Commission.
3. Strengthened evidence-based decision-making and cooperation of humanitarian needs in Africa especially in the Horn of Africa.

Participation at the event:

The high-level meeting will be attended by high level officials and staff from both the African Union Commission and the European Commission, as well as some member states of the AU and the EU.

Representatives of the media are invited to cover the media briefing on Monday 05 February at 14H00. Online participants are encouraged to submit their names and organisation to WhatsApp number +251 929 979 820to ask questions. The Programme is attached.

For further information, please contact:

Molalet Tsedeke IMedia Coordinator | Information and CommunicationDirectorate | African Union Commission Tel: +251 115 517 700 | E-mail: MolaletT@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia|

Ndahafa Nakwafila I Ag. Head of Communication & Public Information Division | Africa CDC | African Union Commission Tel: +251 929 979 820 | E-mail: NakwafilaN@africacdc.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

King David Cartey I Strategic Communication Expert | Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development | African Union Commission Tel: +251 115 517 700 | E-mail: CarteyD@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia