Today, Team Europe in Rwanda signed four contracts of a total value of €40 million marking an important milestone in the implementation of the EU’s support to the Rwandan ecosystem for strengthening the Rwandan pharmaceutical sector and manufacturing health products. This is based on a commitment from December 2023, when President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President Paul Kagame witnessed the signature of the €40 million financial agreement, to increase local manufacturing and equitable access to quality, safe, effective and affordable health products in Rwanda.

Building on the strong partnership between Team Europe and Rwanda, the four projects under this latest initiative will support the Government of Rwanda’s efforts in this sector specifically in the areas of pharmaceutical research and development (R&D), skills development, including higher education and vocational training (TVET), entrepreneurship, supply chains and regulatory strengthening.

EU DELEGATION RWANDA

This strategic funding complements on-going activities of the EU and its Member States under the Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa (MAV+) in Rwanda. This initiative is a flagship of the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, which prioritizes transformational and impactful projects.

The European Union Ambassador to Rwanda, Belen Calvo Uyarra said: “Today’s signature marks a momentous occasion for the partnership between Team Europe and Rwanda. Guided by the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, together with member states France, Sweden, Germany and Belgium, these projects will support Rwanda in its vision of becoming a regional hub for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, and to establish domestic pharmaceutical and vaccine production.

The Minister of State for Health, Hon. Yvan Butera said: "The Government of Rwanda remains committed to building a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub to facilitate access to medical products within Rwanda and across Africa. Today's signing ceremony signals that developing local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and addressing global health imbalances continues to be a priority for the European Union as well.”

The projects will be implemented by member state agencies Expertise France, Sweden, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Belgian Development Agency (Enabel), in close collaboration with Rwandan counterparts as well as additional Team Europe actors.

The signature of the contracts took place at the margins of the second East Africa Pharma and Biotech Conference in Kigali, which is hosted by the Rwanda Biomedical Center and Africa CDC and supported by the German Development Cooperation in the framework of the MAV+ Team Europe Initiative.

Background information

The Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa (MAV+) was launched in May 2021 in response to the call from the African leaders to step up local manufacturing of vaccines in Africa for Africa in line with the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing launched by the African Union.

As part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, MAV+ is working to create an enabling environment for the industry, train a skilled workforce in the sector, strengthen the regulatory environment and support African research and technology transfer. This flagship initiative ultimately promotes equitable access to quality, safe, effective and affordable health products. In total, including the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator contribution, Team Europe is dedicating around €2 billion to this agenda across the continent in close collaboration with African and international partners.

Existing MAV+ related initiatives in the country include the first-of-its-kind Twinning project at the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA). The Twinning cooperation provides the RFDA with access to support from EU National Regulatory Agencies, including expert missions, seminars, workshops, training courses and study visits, to achieve jointly established objectives, in partnership with several EU member states.