Egypt signs historic MoU to formally join African Pooled Procurement Mechanism

EGYPT—Egypt has become the first African Union Member State to formally join the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) after signing the Memorandum of Understanding during the opening ceremony of Africa Health ExCon 2026 in Cairo.

The agreement places Egypt at the forefront of a continental shift to strengthen access to affordable, quality-assured health products through coordinated purchasing.

The ceremony took place against the backdrop of growing efforts by African countries to reduce fragmented procurement systems and improve bargaining power in global health markets.

Egypt’s participation signals stronger alignment with the African Union’s broader agenda for health integration and supply chain resilience.

Strengthening continental health security

The African Pooled Procurement Mechanism, led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, is designed to help Member States aggregate demand for medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and other essential medical supplies.

By pooling procurement, countries can negotiate better prices while also supporting sustainable markets for African manufacturers.

Egypt’s accession marks a key milestone in operationalizing the mechanism, as it reinforces commitments to improve access to essential health products while strengthening local production capacity.

Officials emphasized that the initiative aligns with Africa’s long-term ambition under Agenda 2063 to achieve health sovereignty and self-reliance.

Leadership commitment and regional cooperation

Speaking on behalf of the Egyptian government, Dr. Hisham Stait, Chairman of the Unified Procurement Authority, said Egypt remains committed to supporting the APPM and working with African Union Member States to strengthen supply chains and improve access to essential medicines and vaccines.

He noted that deeper regional cooperation will be critical to achieving long-term resilience in the health sector.

Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya welcomed Egypt’s decision, describing it as a strong signal of leadership and a turning point in shifting Africa from fragmented procurement systems toward integrated health markets.

He added that pooled procurement will play a central role in advancing health security across the continent.

Calls for expanded action at ExCon

During his keynote address, delivered in the context of the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak response efforts, Dr. Kaseya urged Member States to adopt a series of commitments emerging from the conference.

These include advancing a manufacturing compact, linking research and clinical trial data to fair access agreements, and strengthening technology transfer mechanisms.

He also called for the APPM to be adopted as the default procurement pathway for outbreak-related medical countermeasures.

In addition, he emphasized the need for guaranteed off-take agreements, increased investment in African manufacturing for diagnostics and protective equipment, and stronger regulatory harmonization through the African Medicines Agency.

Building a unified procurement future

Established by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 2024, the African Union African Pooled Procurement Mechanism aims to improve affordability and availability of essential health commodities while creating predictable demand for African producers.

The Africa CDC has continued to encourage more Member States to join the platform, arguing that wider participation will strengthen collective bargaining power and enhance health security across the continent.