Nairobi — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have signed their first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening health security cooperation between Africa and Europe.
The agreement was signed by Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, and Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Director of ECDC, during a two-day visit to Addis Ababa by Rendi-Wagner and a delegation of ECDC experts.
The MoU formalizes nearly a decade of collaboration between the two public health agencies and establishes a structured framework to deepen cooperation in disease surveillance, risk assessment, and emergency preparedness and response.
Under the agreement, the institutions will jointly address critical health threats, including antimicrobial resistance, vaccine-preventable diseases, and emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases.
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The partnership will also support collaboration in data analytics, modeling and foresight, laboratory capacity strengthening, workforce development, and public health training.
“Infectious diseases do not respect borders, and our response must be equally interconnected,” Kaseya said during the signing ceremony.
He noted the partnership will strengthen key capacities such as timely surveillance, a skilled public health workforce, and stronger preparedness systems across Africa.
“This is how we build lasting resilience and better protect communities across Africa,” he added.
Rendi-Wagner described the agreement as a significant step forward for health security in Europe, Africa, and globally.
“Strong partnerships and close cooperation are essential to address the current and emerging global health challenges we jointly face,” she said. “Our health security and progress depend on each other, and I look forward to a close and fruitful collaboration with colleagues at Africa CDC.”
The agreement builds on a five-year partnership project between the two agencies funded by the European Commission, which concluded in April and focused on strengthening preparedness, surveillance systems, and workforce capacity.
The collaboration will continue through a new five-year initiative set to begin in May 2026 under the Team Europe Initiative on Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance and Strengthening the One Health Approach in Africa, in cooperation with the European Food Safety Authority.
Officials said the expanded partnership will facilitate technical exchange and coordinated epidemic intelligence to strengthen public health systems in both regions and contribute to global health security.
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Africa CDC, an autonomous institution of the African Union, supports member states in strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and enhancing emergency preparedness and response across the continent.