Advancing Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: High-Level Meeting in Dakar

This week, leaders, policymakers, and technical experts from across Africa convened in Dakar, Senegal for a high-level meeting focused on accelerating progress in local pharmaceutical manufacturing. The discussions reinforced a shared commitment to strengthening the continent’s health sovereignty and building systems that can sustainably deliver essential health products to all populations.

It was an honour to support AUDA-NEPAD in preparing for this convening, including contributing to stakeholder engagement efforts and facilitating sessions throughout the meeting. Bringing diverse voices into one space—regulators, governments, private sector partners, and continental bodies—created a powerful moment of alignment.

Celebrating Senegal’s Leadership

A highlight of the meeting was the recognition of the Government of Senegal for its impressive regulatory achievements. Senegal’s regulatory authority recently attained Maturity Level 3 (ML3) under the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool—an important milestone that positions the country as a continental leader in regulatory strengthening.

This achievement sets a benchmark for peer countries and demonstrates what is possible when political will and technical investment come together.

Key Takeaways from Dakar

1. Prioritising Medical Products for Local Manufacturing

Discussions underscored the importance of focusing on priority products that directly address unmet needs, particularly for underserved populations.

The AUDA-NEPAD “24 Priority Medical Products” initiative was highlighted as a critical tool for advancing manufacturing, aligning regional efforts, and guiding partners on where investment is most urgently required.

2. Building Strong Regional Partnerships

Participants reinforced that delivering on Africa’s manufacturing ambition requires:

coordinated regional approaches

• regulatory harmonisation

• shared manufacturing capacity

• modern, sustainable supply chains

This collective approach forms the backbone of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa (PMPA) and the continent’s transition toward PMPA 2.0.

3. Elevating Manufacturing to Policy-Level Dialogues

A recurring theme was the need for local manufacturing conversations to be consistently integrated into:

• national policy agendas

• continental frameworks

• global health strategies

This ensures that Africa’s manufacturing ecosystem is not developed in isolation, but as part of a coherent global health architecture.

Collective Action Driving Continental Progress

Throughout the meeting, there was a strong sense of alignment around the importance of sustainable, long-term systems strengthening. The dedication of partners, national governments, and technical institutions continues to drive this agenda from vision to action.

Supporting AUDA-NEPAD in this transformative work—and facilitating conversations that help move stakeholders from commitment to implementation—remains a privilege. Dakar served as a reminder that Africa’s manufacturing future is achievable, and that progress accelerates when we work collaboratively, intentionally, and with a clear sense of purpose.