Joint Statement by founding members of AMA Treaty Alliance (AMATA) to welcome the African Medicines Agency coming into force

We, as founding members of AMATA, representing patients, academia, civil society, and industry, welcome the official ratification of the AMA Treaty, which has enabled the African Medicines Agency to effectively enter into force today.

We now call on the African Union to build on the current momentum gained with the legal deposition of instrument of ratification of the Treaty by the minimum required 15 AU Member States, to prepare for the practical implementation of the Agency, ensuring the following critical elements: 

The African Medicines Agency Governing Board to recognise patients as key partners in the management structures and development of the Agency.

A solid governance structure is put in place and a seamless transition from the AMRH to the AMA is ensured. 

Robust regulatory infrastructures continue to be strengthened in all African Union Member States and at regional level.

A Secretariat is formed, and its location is decided without undue delay. 

The African Medicines Agency is equipped with adequate human resource capacity to operationalise its mandate.

The African Medicines Agency Governing Board to set up a framework of engagement with non-state actors and to draw upon all available expertise from academia, research bodies, private sector and community and patient groups to provide technical guidance on specific areas.

A sustainable funding model is implemented to ensure short and long term stability of the Agency at the time of its inception.

We congratulate the 15 Member States of the African Union that completed the process of ratification and invite all remaining AU Member States to follow in their footsteps. 

COVID-19 has demonstrated that health security will only be achieved through concerted efforts and cross-border collaboration. 

We thus call on all AU Heads of State to seize this historic opportunity to have one regulatory affairs oversight across the Continent to enhance national, regional and continental regulation of medical products and oversee rapid and effective market authorization of safe, quality, effective and accessible medical products, for the good of all African people.