African Union and Global Fund Formalise Cooperation to Strengthen Health Systems and Development in Africa

The African Union (AU) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in support of African countries’ efforts to end AIDS, TB and malaria, strengthen health systems, increase domestic resource mobilisation and advance health security and sustainable development across the continent.

This agreement presents a joint commitment to enhance data-driven accountability and integrate health priorities with broader development and resilience goals. It reinforces the longstanding partnership between the AU and the Global Fund in alignment with the AU Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030, African Health Strategy 2030 and the newly adopted Roadmap to 2030&Beyond: Sustaining the AIDS Response, Ensuring Systems Strengthening and Health Security for the Development of Africa.

“This renewed partnership marks a significant step toward sustainable domestic resource mobilisation and the effective delivery of continental health priorities,” said H.E. Amb. Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah, AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development. “This collaboration will drive digital innovation, strengthen health infrastructure and foster resilient, inclusive health systems that will serve the needs of all Africans.” She added.

The partnership is firmly anchored in the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and the Africa Health Strategy 2030, underscoring the central role of resilient health systems and pathway to self-reliance in Africa’s development. It also highlights the urgency of global solidarity and investment as the Global Fund prepares for its next Replenishment cycle.

“This agreement reflects the depth of our partnership with the African Union and our shared commitment to a healthier, stronger and more self-reliant Africa,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “By working together more strategically, with African leadership, we tackle today’s toughest health challenges – from pandemics and epidemics to climate-related threats – while building systems that deliver equitable, sustainable care for all.”

Key areas of collaboration under the MoU include:

• Joint implementation of the AU Roadmap to 2030&Beyond: Sustaining the AIDS Response, Ensuring Systems Strengthening and Health Security for the Development of Africa;
• Advancing domestic health financing reforms, including through AUDA–NEPAD, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Health Organizations (RHOs) and Regional Health Financing Hubs;
• Fostering integration of community health systems and digital innovation into national health strategies;
• Advocating for a successful Global Fund Eighth Replenishment to ensure continued investment in Africa’s health systems;
• Developing coordinated responses to emerging health threats and biological resistance.

This partnership also builds on steady progress to build domestic investments in health year after year following the February 2019 African Leadership Meeting (ALM) – Investing in Health Declaration. Significant efforts have been made to increase political commitment for national health financing dialogues, with 12 countries convened across Eastern, Western and Southern Africa since 2022.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).