EU announces €170 million investment in African health
European commitments aim to strengthen Africa’s healthcare, preparedness and access to essential health products
The European Commission and EU member states have announced nearly €170 million in new health investments across Africa ahead of the World Health Summit in Berlin this weekend, aiming to strengthen healthcare systems, pandemic preparedness and access to essential medicines.
The European Commission will allocate €6.5 million to expand pathogen genomics capacity across African Union countries, alongside more than €30 million for research, including clinical studies and pandemic preparedness. A further €7.5 million will strengthen health resilience in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
EU member states have also pledged substantial funding. The Netherlands will invest €99 million in an HIV/AIDS programme covering six Southern African countries and neighbouring areas, representing the largest individual commitment. While no doubt welcome, the amount will not fill the gap left of the US PEPFAR programme.
Germany will contribute €20 million to support African small and medium-sized enterprises in healthcare supply chains, including local vaccine and medicine manufacturing, a key priority of the EU's MAV+ initiative on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Africa.
France has committed €2.5 million to epidemic surveillance, while Sweden will provide €3.4 million to improve access to sexual and reproductive health products.
The announcements contribute to the EU Global Health Resilience Initiative and build on the Africa–Europe health partnership established in 2021, which prioritises MAV+ to improve manufacturing and production in Africa, reproductive health, health security, digital healthcare and stronger public health institutions.
The European commitments come amid concerns over cuts to global health funding, following the US decision to reduce USAID programmes by more than 83%.
A study published in The Lancet warned that the dismantling of USAID, could result in more than 14 million additional deaths worldwide by 2030, including 4.5 million among children under five.