Excellencies,

Honourable Ministers,

Esteemed Delegates:

• I am honoured to attend this special event marking ten years of transformation of the WHO Secretariat in the African Region, on the margins of the Seventy-Fourth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa.
• The African Union (AU) Commission and WHO have maintained a longstanding partnership, with a particular focus on advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Together, we have made significant strides in health systems strengthening, improved access to essential health services, and the prevention and control of communicable diseases across Africa.
• To date, our efforts have driven progress in several key areas:
  • Operationalization of the African Medicine Agency;
  • Implementation of the AU Assembly Decision on Domestic Health Financing;
  • Realization of the AU initiative to meet the target of 2 million Community Health Workers;
  • Advancements in the Re-strengthened Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA Plus 2021-2030);
  • Promotion of improved nutrition levels on the continent through initiatives like the Cost of Hunger in Africa Study (COHA);
  • The development of the AU Digital Health Strategy (2022-2030); and
  • Implementation of the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB, and Malaria.
• These achievements have been successfully implemented through institutional capacity building extended by the WHO to the AU Commission’s Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the exceptional leadership of the WHO Africa Region under Dr. Moeti. Over the past ten years, we have witnessed significant improvements in the health of the people of Africa.
• We have seen remarkable success, for example, in the area of vaccination. The introduction of the new malaria vaccine into routine immunization programs in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Cameroon, and other countries was commendable. We can now hope for more countries to join Cape Verde, Mauritius and Algeria as malaria-free.
• The progress made against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) is also very encouraging. The alignment of AU Member States with the Common African Position (CAP) and the Continental Framework on the Control and Elimination of NTDs in Africa by 2030 demonstrates our unified vision, progress, and resource mobilisation to tackle these diseases. I recall during the last Regional Committee Meeting we awarded Togo for being the first ever country globally to eliminate four NTDs.
• There is also a growing awareness of mental health issues and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Some AU Member States have adopted policies that support mental health and psychosocial well-being, particularly among adolescents.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Esteemed Delegates:

• I recognize the vital contributions of WHO, along with other partners and stakeholders, in driving progress toward our shared health goals.
• As we look to the future, I strongly encourage the continued and strengthened implementation of the Transformation Agenda, learning from past experiences to refine the Transformation Agenda Roadmap. We must build on our successes and address challenges to ensure that our efforts result in sustainable improvements in health outcomes across the continent.
• The recent MPOX concern reminds us of the need to reinforce health security in Africa and beyond, as outlined in the AU Africa Health Strategy (2016-2030).
• In this spirit, I pledge the continued support of the AU, its Secretariat and Specialized Organs to WHO. I also call for stronger partnerships to ensure that AU Member States develop strong health systems capable of achieving the health-related SDGs. Together, we can realize the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
• In conclusion, I look forward to the forthcoming discussions on the Transformation Agenda Report and wish you all productive deliberations.