The United States government and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have announced a collaborative milestone in the realm of public health with the launch of the U.S.-Africa CDC Joint Action Plan. This Joint Action Plan, set as an extension to the U.S.-African Union Memorandum of Cooperation, aims to fortify public health systems and foster better health outcomes across the African continent.
Amidst the backdrop of the Third International Conference on Public Health in Africa, which transpired in Lusaka, Zambia on November 28, the U.S. government and Africa CDC disclosed their commitment to an Action Plan designed to actualize a mutual vision of enhancing public health systems and effecting improved health outcomes in Africa.
With a focus on attaining the objectives stipulated in the Memorandum of Cooperation inked by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki in March 2022, the Joint Action Plan delineates pivotal undertakings between the U.S. government and Africa CDC.
This unprecedented stride elucidates a resolute advancement in U.S.-Africa CDC cooperation, leveraging the existing health investments and partnerships across Africa to strengthen institutions, foster knowledge exchange, and bolster the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Africa CDC Strategic Plan 2023-2027. Moreover, it endeavors to bolster integrated health systems, reinforce public health emergency response capabilities, enhance clinical and laboratory systems, and amplify innovation and indigenous production of health commodities.
The commitment of the U.S. government and Africa CDC extends to a commitment to convene routine gatherings of technical experts in Addis Ababa and Washington, with the objective of operationalizing, reviewing, and revising this Plan to uphold shared public health needs and global health security imperatives.
The Office of the Spokesperson has released this statement in furtherance of the U.S.-Africa CDC partnership, signifying a pivotal moment in the collaborative efforts to elevate public health in Africa.
