GENEVA, 19 May 2026 – A new partnership between the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) aims to strengthen Africa’s health systems, expand regional leadership and support the continent’s path toward greater self-reliance.
The two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the margins of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, reflecting growing efforts to build more resilient, integrated and sustainable health systems across Africa amid evolving global health financing landscapes and increasing pressure on development financing.
The partnership underscores a shared commitment to strengthening country ownership, advancing coordinated regional action and supporting more predictable, sustainable and nationally led health systems across the continent.
“This partnership is an important step toward Africa’s health sovereignty,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General. “Together, we are helping build a safer, stronger and more self-reliant Africa.”
Under the agreement, Africa CDC and the Global Fund will work together to expand integrated service delivery, strengthen community health workforce capacity, reinforce laboratory systems, improve surveillance and scale up digital health tools to support stronger public health systems and emergency preparedness across Africa.
The partnership will also strengthen regional procurement, local manufacturing and supply chain capabilities, including support for the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM), as part of efforts to improve access to essential health products, strengthen supply resilience and build more sustainable health markets across the continent.
In addition, the collaboration seeks to advance domestic health financing, strengthen public financial management systems, and support sustainable transition pathways at a time when African countries are increasingly reinforcing nationally led health systems and reducing dependence on external financing.
The agreement also aims to support African leadership in shaping global health security priorities and promoting more equitable access to health technologies and medical countermeasures.
“This collaboration reflects how we are evolving our partnerships – supporting national and regional leadership while strengthening the systems, workforce and supply chains needed to save lives and sustain progress,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund.
The collaboration aligns with Africa CDC’s broader Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) agenda, which prioritises stronger national public health institutions, resilient supply chains, local manufacturing, workforce development and increased domestic investment in health.
Coming as the Global Fund prepares for its next grant cycle, the partnership is expected to help align investments with country priorities, support predictable transitions from external financing, and strengthen national systems and leadership for long-term impact. Together, Africa CDC and the Global Fund aim to accelerate progress toward ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030 while contributing to stronger, more resilient and more self-reliant health systems across Africa.
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About Africa CDC
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: http://www.africacdc.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube
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