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Published October 06, 2021 / Public health

Treaty establishing the African Medicines Agency enters into force

20211007-AMA-Vigueur

On Tuesday October 5, Cameroon became the 15th member state of the African Union to deposit its instrument of ratification of the treaty establishing the African Medicines Agency (AMA), alongside Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe.

Caption: "Today is a historic day. Cameroon has become the 15th country to deposit its instrument of ratification for the African Medicines Agency. The treaty will enter into force in 30 days' time (November 5). The AMA will be a game-changer on our continent." Tweet and photo by Michel Sidibé, Special Envoy of the African Union.

For the African Union and its special envoy Michel Sidibé, the objective has been achieved: the treaty will enter into force on November 5, a crucial step in responding to the health and security emergency facing the African continent.

 

Since the treaty's adoption in February 2019 by the 32nd session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the African Union and its special envoy Michel Sibidé have multiplied their efforts to plead the cause of better regulation and easier access to quality medical products. In all, 26 of the 55 member states have expressed their commitment by signing and/or ratifying the treaty.

 

As a reminder, on average on the continent, 20 % of medicines are counterfeit or of poor quality. The intrusion of these medicines is encouraged by weaknesses in the pharmaceutical supply chain, notably due to very low local production (only 3% of medicines produced on the continent). The implementation of this instrument will strengthen the integrity of the supply chain and provide a framework for the national control plans of the signatory countries of theLomé Initiative.
 
The Brazzaville Foundation, technical coordinator of the Lomé Initiative, is delighted with the progress made in the project to create WADA. The political declaration of the Lomé Initiative provides for ratification of the WADA treaty by the signatory states.