African Union and World Health Organization renew strategic partnership to drive impact and strengthen health systems in Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union (AU) Commission renewed their longstanding strategic partnership today with the signing of an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva. This renewed agreement reaffirms the joint commitment to advancing health security, universal health coverage, and sustainable development across the African continent at a time of unprecedented financial challenges in the global health landscape.

It further underscores the African Union’s leadership in fostering collective action, inclusive partnerships, and regional resilience, and positions the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development of the AU Commission at the heart of the continent’s health policy implementation efforts.

The agreement was signed by Her Excellency Ambassador Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, on behalf of His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. It marks a defining moment for primary health care and universal health coverage.

Commissioner Twum-Amoah emphasized the strategic importance of the agreement and the AU’s leadership in shaping Africa’s health landscape:

“This Agreement marks a new chapter in AU–WHO cooperation. By working together more closely, we can better respond to the health needs of our populations and ensure that no one is left behind. The African Union values WHO’s central and leading role in global health and looks forward to deepening this strategic partnership in support of our shared goals. We need to move from budgeting for survival to planning for health sovereignty,” she added.