The African Union (AU) held an extraordinary summit on July 22, 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss building health sovereignty across the continent. The meeting focused on reducing dependence on external supplies for medicines and vaccines, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leaders from member states emphasized the need to strengthen local manufacturing capacities for vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The summit aimed to accelerate the implementation of the AU's Agenda 2063 goals for health security and self-reliance.
Key outcomes included commitments to increase funding for the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and to support the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM), which targets producing 60% of the continent's vaccine needs by 2040. The summit also reviewed progress on the New Public Health Order for Africa.
