The Conference of State Parties (CoSP) of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) today announced the appointment of Dr. Delese Mimi Darko from the Republic of Ghana as the inaugural Director General of the African Medicines Agency. The  nomination took place during the 2nd Ordinary Session of the CoSP, held from 2-4 June 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Dr. Darko, renowned for her exemplary leadership as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished track record in regulatory excellence to her new role. Her appointment signifies a bold step forward in strengthening regulatory oversight, promoting access to quality, safe, and efficacious medicines, and fostering pharmaceutical innovation across Africa.

"The appointment of the Director General is an important step toward the operationalisation of AMA," stated H.E. Amb. Amma Twum-Amoah,Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union. "The AMA has been established to harmonize and strengthen regulatory systems for medical products across Africa. We are confident that under Dr. Darko’s leadership, the Agency is poised to accelerate its efforts in coordinating and standardizing regulatory practices, facilitating joint assessments and inspections, and fostering a harmonized approach to medicines regulation that will ultimately benefit all African citizens."

Adding to this sentiment, Chairperson of the AMA Conference of State Parties (CoSP)  Dr Francine Dekandji, Minister of State of Health, Chad congratulated Dr. Darko: "The AMA, as a specialized agency of the African Union, is crucial for ensuring that medical products on our continent meet international standards of quality, safety, and efficacy. Its establishment is a cornerstone of the African Union's Agenda 2063, aiming to build a prosperous and healthy Africa. With the appointment of Dr. Darko, we are now even better positioned to realize this our vision."

During the three-day meeting, the Conference of State Parties elected a new Bureau to guide its future work and endorsed an additional member to the AMA Governing Board. These decisions further solidify the governance structure of the Agency, ensuring its continued operationalization and strategic direction in advancing medicines regulation across Africa. African Medicines Agency (AMA) to Hold Second Ordinary Session of the Conference of State Parties in Kigali | African Union

The AMA Governing Board Members, is responaible for providing strategic direction and technical decision making, guidance and monitoring the performance of the Agency, they include:

1. Dr Yossounon Chabi from Benin (for the Western Africa region), Chair
2. Dr Haoua Haroun Saker from Chad representing Central Africa Region, Vice-chair
3. Dr Emile Bienvenu representing for the Eastern Africa region)
4. Dr Germina Mamoeti Mphoso from Lesotho (for the Southern Africa region)
5. Dr. Mohamed Hassany Barbary, representing the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)
6. Dr Melchior Athanase, representing the West African Health Organization (WAHO);
7. Dr Peggy Congugo-Batoma Raymonde, representing Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
8. Amb. Amma Twum-Amoah Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, representing Africa Union Commission.

The New AMA Bureau

About the African Medicines Agency (AMA) 

The AMA Treaty was adopted by Heads of States and Government during their 32^nd 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).

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Janet Faith Adhiambo Ochieng | Communication Officer, Agenda 2063 | Directorate of Information and Communication| African Union Commission | E-mail ochiengj@africa-union.org

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