Africa CDC secures USD310M strategic investment at Lyon One Health Summit

FRANCE—The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has embraced the significant outcomes of the One Health Summit, recently held in Lyon, France, marking a watershed moment for the continent’s role in global health.

Rather than remaining on the periphery, Africa now actively shapes its own future in health security and influences global health policy.

The summit brought together an impressive coalition of leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron, who hosted the landmark event, alongside African leaders President John Mahama and President Duma Boko.

Their coordinated presence ensured that Africa’s health security and sovereignty agenda received the attention and advancement it deserves on the world stage.

Building a United Front on global health threats

Africa CDC became a signatory to the “One Health & Beyond: Multi-stakeholder Declaration,” joining a diverse group of nations and organizations committed to tackling emerging health threats at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.

The declaration unites Armenia, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, France, Kenya, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates, alongside global institutions such as the WHO, FAO, and CGIAR.

This unified approach recognizes that health security cannot be achieved in isolation and requires coordinated action across borders and sectors.

Substantial Investments Strengthen Continental Capacity

A major catalyst for Africa’s strengthened position came through European Union Commissioner Jozef Sikela’s announcement of €96.5 million (USD $105 million) in dedicated funding.

This investment comprises two critical components: a €46.5 million (USD $50.5 million) initiative to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to develop a robust One Health workforce across Africa, and an additional €50 million (USD $54.5 million) for research and development of new medical treatments for AMR and climate-sensitive diseases.

Implementing these programs under Africa CDC leadership will enhance disease surveillance systems, expand laboratory infrastructure, and foster deeper partnerships with leading European research institutions.

Addressing Africa’s most pressing health challenges

The continent faces mounting pressures from antimicrobial resistance and climate change, which together intensify health vulnerabilities.

To address these interconnected challenges, Africa CDC welcomed a USD166 million commitment from the Green Climate Fund and the Global Fund, specifically designed to build climate-resilient health systems across Africa.

Additionally, the Pandemic Fund pledged USD40 million to support the One Health program.

These investments demonstrate growing international recognition that strengthening African health systems benefits global health security.

Advancing partnerships on Africa’s terms

Africa CDC emphasizes a crucial principle guiding these partnerships: they must align with Africa’s own priorities, systems, and leadership rather than imposing external frameworks.

This commitment to coordination over fragmentation reflects a matured approach to global health collaboration.

Africa CDC leadership will present and discuss all these commitments during the African High-Level Ministerial Committee meeting on Global Health Architecture Reform, scheduled for the World Health Summit Regional Meeting in April 2026 in Nairobi.

Subsequent discussions will continue at the Africa Forward conference in May 2026 in Nairobi and the AMR Summit in Abuja in June 2026.