Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Global Health European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 3 (Global Health EDCTP3) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support their shared goal to promote public health in Africa. The MoU also reinforces their collaboration in strengthening health research, clinical trials, and pandemic preparedness across the African continent. 

This MoU builds on a well-established partnership and comes at a time of increasing global health challenges, including climate change, ongoing conflicts, and constrained financial resources for public health. Through it, Africa CDC and Global Health EDCTP3 express their commitment towards joining efforts and maintaining a close and continuous relationship for the achievement of their common objectives. 

Building on a previous MoU concluded between the EDCTP Association and Africa CDC in 2021, this new agreement introduces a structured Joint Action Plan (2025-2027) with six key areas of collaboration:

• Strengthening the public health workforce in sub-Saharan Africa, through health research capacity building and training of researchers.
• Strengthening AU Partner States’ clinical trials ecosystems.
• Advancing the clinical development and research on new or improved interventions against infectious diseases prevalent across AU Partner States.
• Supporting capacity-building activities linked to research and innovation, as well as strengthening regulatory pathways, will enable the expansion of local manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics in Africa.
• Enabling equitable action-oriented partnerships.
• Collaborating on the Pandemic Fund as implementing entities depending on the outcome of the selection process.

Africa CDC and Global Health EDCTP3 will cooperate to implement a programme of work for the execution of activities within these themes. In alignment with the strategic priorities of each organisation, a Joint Action Plan will serve as a framework for resource mobilisation. Both organisations are committed to exploring synergies between public and private investments to enhance research, manufacturing, and capacity-building efforts across the continent.

“After almost a decade of close and fruitful collaboration between EDCTP and Africa CDC, I am delighted to renew our MoU, which will strengthen and focus our joint efforts in supporting research, capacity building, and equitable partnerships that will ultimately improve public health outcomes across the African continent. This MoU provides a firm basis to galvanise our cooperation through the Global Health EDCTP3 programme, and I look forward to seeing the new heights we will reach in this next phase of our partnership,” Dr. Michael Makanga, Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3 stated. 

“This renewed partnership between Africa CDC and Global Health EDCTP3 is a bold step towards strengthening Africa’s health research, clinical trial ecosystems, and pandemic preparedness. By investing in African-led solutions, we are not only enhancing our continent’s capacity to respond to health threats but also paving the way for sustainable, homegrown innovations that will transform public health. Through this MoU, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing research, training the next generation of African scientists, and expanding local manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The future of Africa’s health security depends on partnerships like this—driven by collaboration, equity, and shared purpose,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.

Looking ahead

The signing of this MoU marks a significant step forward in ensuring that African-led public health initiatives receive the necessary technical and financial support to drive sustainable impact. As Africa faces evolving health challenges, the reinforced partnership between Africa CDC and Global Health EDCTP3 will play a pivotal role in enhancing preparedness and response efforts.