On 6 October 2021, the Republic of Chad became the sixteenth (16^th) member state to deposit the instrument of ratification of the African Medicines Agency (AMA). The Republic of Chad ratified the Treaty on the 19 August 2021 in N’Djamena, Chad.

H.E. Amira Elfadil Mohammed, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, at the African Union Commission received the instrument from the Ambassador of Chad to Ethiopia and the African Union H.E. Mahamat Ali Hassane.

Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner stressed the importance of AMA in regulating the policies of pharmaceutical industries in Africa. “AMA will play a role in encouraging more local production of medicines and medical products in Africa,” the Commissioner added.

Amb. Mahamat Ali Hassane expressed the delight and commitment of the Republic of Chad in supporting the establishment of the Agency. The deposit by Chad is in line with the desire of African Heads of States and Governments to promote quality-assured, safe and efficacious medical products that are fundamental to the health and safety of the population of Africa.

AMA’s aims to provide support for the improvement of weak regulatory systems. AMA will among other functions designate, promote, strengthen, coordinate and monitor Regional Centres of Regulatory Excellence (RCOREs) with a view to developing the capacity of medical products regulatory professionals. The agency will also coordinate and collaborate, where required and on a regular basis, the inspection of drug manufacturing sites, including the regulatory oversight and safety monitoring of medical products, as determined by State Parties and/or the AMA, and make reports available to State Parties.

To date, eighteen (18) member states have ratified the AMA Treaty and sixteen (16) of these have deposited the instruments of ratification to the Commission. The 15^th instrument of ratification was deposited at the African Union Commission on the 5^th of October 2021 and the Treaty will enter into Force (as per Article 38) of the Treaty on 5^th November 2021. The Commission has invited member states to submit proposals for the hosting of the Africa Medicines Agency Headquarters. The Commission has also further extended the deadline for submission of interest to host the AMA up to 15^th October 2021, as per the ruling of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) on 6^th September 2021. The Commission expects to have the established AMA in 2022.

The African Union Commission encourages all its member states to sign and ratify the Treaty for the establishment of AMA in the interest of public health, safety and security. The Treaty is available for signature at the Headquarters of the Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

About the African Medicines Agency (AMA)

The AMA Treaty was adopted by Heads of States and Government during their 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly on 11 February 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Medicines Agency aspires to enhance capacity of State Parties and AU recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to regulate medical products in order to improve access to quality, safe and efficacious medical products on the continent. AMA shall build on the efforts of the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative (2009), which is led by the Africa Union Development Agency - the New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD). The AMRH initiative provides guidance to AU recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Health Organizations (RHOs), to facilitate harmonization of regulatory requirements and practice among the national medicines authorities (NMRAs) of the AU Member States. AMA will be the second specialized health agency of the African Union after the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Further information should be directed to:

1. Mohamed Salem Boukhari Khalil, Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union Commission Tel: +251911405697; Email: KhalilM@africa-union.org

2. Dr. Margaret Agama-Anyetei, Ag. Director of Health and Humanitarian Affairs Directorate; Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, AU Commission; Tel: +251115182211; E-mail: Agama-AnyeteiM@africa-union.org

For further media inquiries, please contact:

1. Ms. Dorothy Njagi | Strategic Communication Expert, Directorate of Health and Humanitarian Affairs | Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission | Mobile: +251940559950 | E-mail: njagid@africa-union.org

2. Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communications Directorate | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
Web: www.au.int  | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube