AUDA-NEPAD and U.S. Department of State discuss strengthening health partnerships in Africa
Date: 2026-03-16
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Chief Executive Officer of the African Union Development Agency – NEPAD, Nardos
Bekele-Thomas has held discussions with senior officials from the United States
Department of State on expanding collaboration to strengthen health systems
across Africa.
The
engagement took place during a meeting with Jeffrey Graham, Senior Bureau
Official and Acting Global AIDS Coordinator in the Bureau of Global Health
Security and Diplomacy, where both sides explored ways to enhance cooperation
between AUDA-NEPAD and the U.S. government.
Discussions
focused on translating shared goals into practical and scalable action through
stronger partnerships, sustainable health financing and improved delivery
systems capable of responding to Africa’s evolving health challenges.
The
meeting also highlighted the importance of strategic initiatives such as the
Platform for Investment in African Health in unlocking investment opportunities
across key sectors. These include pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing,
digital health infrastructure, regional diagnostics and the development of
resilient health supply chains.
Officials
noted that strengthening collaboration between international partners and
African institutions will be critical to building a more resilient and
self-reliant health ecosystem across the continent while supporting long-term
development priorities.
