Keynote speakers: Director General of Africa CDC, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, and Minister of Health of Ethiopia
INVITATION TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
What: A launch of three new initiatives within the AU-EU partnership, for over 100 M EUR, aiming at reinforcing Africa’s public health institutes, strengthening health security and supporting digital health solutions for pandemic preparedness and primary healthcare. Part of the visit to Addis Ababa by H.E. Jozef Sikela, European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships, this occurs during a high-level event between him, H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, H.E. Mekdes Daba, Minister of Health of Ethiopia, senior representatives from EU and AU Member States, as well as international health partners.
The European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU), through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), continue to strengthen their long-standing and comprehensive health partnership, as both continents intensify efforts to address current and future health threats while advancing Africa’s health sovereignty and broader sustainable development objectives.
When: Tuesday 21 April 2026, 10h00-11h30
Where: Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention,
Ring Road, 16/17, Haile Garment Square, P.O. Box 3243,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and online (https://africacdc-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/fTU1AuK5T1ajy9b2Dl03Qg)
Livestream: https://bit.ly/4tY1zjy
Background:
The new initiatives represent a shared commitment to advancing health security, pandemic preparedness, and equitable access to healthcare across the African Continent in line with the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty agenda.
The EU’s partnership with Africa CDC—spanning technical expertise, capacity-building, and policy dialogue—continues to play a key role in building resilient health systems. The partnership builds on recent high-level engagements, including the 7th AU–EU Summit, on November 2025 in Luanda, and the Team Europe–Africa High-Level Steering Meeting (HLSM) on the AU–EU Health Partnership, where both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to a healthier and more secure future.
The EU’s Global Gateway initiative, with its €150 billion investment package for Africa, was highlighted as a critical enabler of these efforts, supporting infrastructure projects, vaccine manufacturing, and health technology advancements that align with Africa CDC’s strategic goals. The AU-EU Health Partnership is implemented in a Team Europe format, twinning projects such as the cooperation between the Africa CDC and the European CDC and the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Media Contacts:
- European Union Delegation to the African Union: Rita.FORTUNATO-BAPTISTA@eeas.europa.eu and Biruk.FELEKE@eeas.europa.eu
- Africa CDC: Margaret Muigai Edwin, Director of Communication & Public Information, Africa CDC | Tel: +255 742 635 592, Email: edwinm@africacdc.org
