In a strategic move to end Africa’s marginalisation in global health decision-making, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has launched the African High-Level Ministerial Committee (AHLMC) on Global Health Architecture Reform.
The committee, unveiled on the sidelines of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi, brings together Ministers of Health and Finance from across the continent to forge a unified front in global health governance.
The initiative aims to provide strategic stewardship and political coordination as the world negotiates critical frameworks, including the Pandemic Agreement, International Health Regulations, and UN80-linked reforms.
Ending Passive Participation
Speaking at the launch, the Director General of Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, stated that the continent is pivoting from being a passive recipient of international policies to an active architect of its own health security.
“The old model is no longer fit for purpose. Africa cannot continue to be a passive recipient of global health decisions. This Committee is about power, voice, and ownership, ensuring that Africa acts collectively and shapes the systems that determine our future,” Mr Kaseya said.
He further noted that the initiative marks a shift toward accountability and implementation, describing it as an “instrument for action” rather than just another administrative structure.
Economic Realities and Health Sovereignty
The launch comes amid a sharp decline in international health funding. Experts at the summit warned that Official Development Assistance (ODA) for health plummeted by $31.1 billion in 2025, with further cuts anticipated throughout 2026.
This financial squeeze, coupled with the lessons learned from COVID-19, mpox, and cholera outbreaks, has intensified the push for financial and product sovereignty.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, emphasised that the current disparity between Africa’s disease burden and its influence is unacceptable.
“Africa carries a disproportionate burden of disease, yet its voice in global decision-making remains limited. With the Committee, we will speak with one voice stronger, clearer, and more influential in shaping global health policies,” Mr Youssouf noted.
The Five Pillars of Reform
The AHLMC will operate across five thematic workstreams designed to secure Africa’s health future:
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Leadership Reform and Governance
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Financial Sovereignty
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Data Sovereignty and Digitalisation
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Product Sovereignty and Local Manufacturing
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Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
The committee’s primary goal is to produce a consolidated African Position Paper and a Reform Roadmap (2026–2030) to ensure that global health financing aligns with national priorities under a “One Plan, One Budget, One Report” framework.
A Call for Equal Partnership
The Chair of the Committee, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, remarked that the establishment of the body signals Africa’s readiness to lead with purpose and coherence. She stressed that the focus must move beyond rhetoric to ensuring predictable funding and equitable access to technology.
“This moment is not about rhetoric; it is about responsibility. That means ensuring health funding is predictable and aligned with national priorities… and advancing equity, so that access to vaccines and technology is guided not by geography, but by humanity,” Mrs Sirleaf said.
The Africa CDC concluded by extending an invitation to international stakeholders to engage with the continent on a revised platform of mutual respect and equality, moving away from the traditional donor-recipient dynamic.
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