14-15 July, Lusaka (Zambia) - Following the 41st Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council, the Republic of Rwanda has been chosen to host the headquarters of the African Medicines Agency (AMA). The signatory countries of the Lomé Initiative and the Brazzaville Foundation commend the coordinated efforts of the AU. 

The main objective of the AMA is to improve the capacity of member states and reinforced educational centres (RECs) to regulate medical products in order to improve access to quality, safe and effective medical products for the people of Africa.

The agency's responsibilities will include supporting the growth of local pharmaceutical production, evaluating medical products for the treatment of priority diseases identified by the African Union, and inspecting, coordinating and sharing information on a regular basis on products that are approved for marketing.

The signatory countries of the Lomé Initiative against Falsified and Substandard Medicines (Congo-Brazzaville, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Uganda) and the Brazzaville Foundation, the initiative's project manager, welcome this decision. Several countries, as well as the Foundation, had ardently supported the action of Michel Sidibé, AU Special Envoy for the creation of the AMA.

As a reminder, the political declaration signed in Lomé on 18 January 2020 by the Heads of State and their representatives includes the signing of the treaty establishing the AMA and its operationalisation.

For the Brazzaville Foundation and for the signatory countries of the Lomé Initiative, one of the next steps towards legislative harmonization at the continental level will be to adapt the AU model pharmaceutical law to the regulatory needs of each country.

Find the guiding principles and functions of the AMA in the Treaty of its establishment.

Read the presentation brochure of the Lomé Initiative.

Photo taken during the 41st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, ©African Union