24 September 2025
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues,
It is an honour to join you at this inaugural meeting of the Joint Coordination Team (JCT), on behalf of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The JCT is an important milestone in advancing the Memorandum of Understanding between the African Union and WHO. It will help strengthen health systems, expand access to quality services, and improve the prevention and control of diseases across the continent.
This partnership is especially significant for EMRO, as several of our Member States—Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, and Tunisia—are also members of the African Union.
At EMRO, we are already working to advance these priorities. Our flagship on Access to Medical Products is supporting local production, pooled procurement, and stronger regulatory systems. Our Health Workforce flagship is helping countries train and retain the professionals needed to deliver services.
The JCT builds on this momentum. It will align African institutions with WHO, clarify roles, and ensure coherent, country-focused support. It will also strengthen
collaboration on resource mobilization, joint programming, and the work of the African Medicines Agency towards pharmaceutical security.
By bringing together the African Union, WHO, regional bodies, and Member States, we have a unique opportunity to mobilize resources, respond to emergencies, and deliver real results for the health and wellbeing of Africa’s people.
