The African Medicines Agency (AMA) (www.au-AMA.africa) has marked its first year of operations with the inauguration of its Technical Committees and the launch of two hubs to strengthen regulatory capacity and support medical-product innovation and manufacturing across Africa.
These milestones formed part of the inaugural AMA Week, which was held under the theme, Building Africa’s Regulatory Future Together: From National Strength to Continental Impact, from 25 to 30 October 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda. The gathering brought together National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), policymakers, manufacturers, investors, researchers and global health partners to review progress and advance priorities for the Agency’s next phase of work.
AMA became operational in October 2025. Its mandate is to coordinate and strengthen Africa’s regulatory systems, helping countries draw on shared scientific expertise and reduce duplication while maintaining rigorous standards of quality, safety and efficacy.
Fragmented regulatory systems can leave gaps in oversight and delay access to medical products. Manufacturers seeking to supply several African markets may face different requirements, procedures and timelines. AMA works alongside national authorities to harmonise requirements, support joint assessments and promote reliance on trusted scientific evaluations. National authorities retain responsibility for marketing authorisation.
“Africa’s strength lies in the expertise of its national authorities. By sharing that expertise and relying on each other’s work, we can bring quality medical products to patients faster across the continent,” said H.E. Dr Delese Mimi Darko, Director-General of AMA.
Strengthening scientific expertise and regulatory capacity
On 26 October, AMA inaugurated seven Technical Committees, bringing together African experts to provide independent scientific advice across key areas of medical-product regulation. Their work will support the Agency’s collaboration with national and regional regulatory institutions.
“The Technical Committees have been entrusted with a highly important mission, which is to help build a regulatory system that is efficient, coherent, transparent and at the service of the population. Their members bring skills, experience and integrity that will be used to protect the health of Africa.” said Dr. Yossounon Chabi, Chair, AMA Governing Board.
On the third day of AMA Week, AMA launched its Capacity Strengthening Hub and Regulatory Innovation and Manufacturing Readiness Hub, both based at its headquarters in Kigali.
The Capacity Strengthening Hub will support the development of regulatory expertise across national authorities and regional bodies. The Regulatory Innovation and Manufacturing Readiness Hub will provide a platform for early engagement between regulators, researchers and manufacturers, helping developers understand regulatory expectations and generate the evidence needed to bring quality-assured products to market.
Connecting regulation, manufacturing and patient access
AMA Week opened with Manufacturing and Innovation Day on 25 October. Discussions brought manufacturers, investors, regulators, academia and patient representatives together to examine how predictable regulatory pathways, workforce development and technology transfer can support sustainable local production.
The Week also included the 11th African Medicines Regulators Conference, co-convened with the World Health Organization on 29–30 October. The conference provided a forum for African regulators and partners to advance cooperation, reliance and trust across regulatory systems.
Together, these engagements reinforced the connection between strong national authorities, effective continental coordination and a manufacturing environment capable of responding to Africa’s health needs.
As AMA enters its second year of operations, its priorities include advancing the work of its Technical Committees, implementing the two hubs’ programmes, strengthening safety monitoring and deepening collaboration with national authorities and regional bodies.
Patients remain the ultimate measure of this work: stronger protection against substandard and falsified products, better safety monitoring and more timely access to quality-assured treatments.
Further information about AMA’s work is available at https://au-AMA.africa/.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Medicines Agency.
Media contact:
Communications Unit
African Medicines Agency
Email: AMAComms@au-ama.africa / bizimunguj@au-ama.africa
Tel: (+250) 78 824 1588
About the African Medicines Agency:
The African Medicines Agency (AMA) is a specialised agency of the African Union, headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda. Its objective is to strengthen the capacity of States Parties and Regional Economic Communities to regulate medical products and improve access to quality, safe and effective medical products across Africa.
About AMA Week:
The inaugural AMA Week brought together African regulators, policymakers, manufacturers, researchers and partners to advance the Agency’s mandate, strengthen regulatory cooperation and support access to quality-assured medical products.
