Team Europe and African partners launch four initiatives to strengthen health systems and social protection in Africa

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Three health Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) were launched today during the high-level event on the European Union (EU) – African Union (AU) partnership on Global Health for equitable access, in Brussels. The TEIs will strengthen health security, support Public Health Institutes in Africa, and boost digital health. On this occasion a Team Europe Initiative on Social Protection was also launched.

The Team Europe Initiative on Sustainable Health Security will strengthen prevention, preparedness and response to infectious threats and anti-microbial resistance in African countries. It brings together the European Commission, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, ECDC and the Africa CDC.

The partners will apply a One Health approach, recognizing that the health of people, animals, and ecosystem are intrinsically tied, and support the operational capacities of Africa CDC, including laboratories, surveillance systems and implementation research at national, regional and continental levels. Building  upon ongoing successful actions, such as the collaboration between the Africa CDC and ECDC that started in 2021, the initiative will benefit from €123 million from the EU budget from 2022–2027.

The Support to Public Health Institutes in Africa initiative will strengthen African national public health institutes and public health schools. It will promote regional collaboration and networking among African and European institutes, and enhance health workforce training, research and knowledge exchange.

Bringing together the European Commission, Belgium, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Africa CDC, this initiative focuses on reducing inequities in access to quality health care and disease prevention, building integrated and holistic health systems and ultimately advancing universal health coverage. It will benefit from €50 million from the EU budget from 2024–2027.

The Digital Health initiative supports African partners in strengthening health systems and achieving universal health coverage through digital solutions, notably those relevant for pandemic preparedness and response. The initiative will help strengthen primary health care, and developing a joint strategy on digital health aligned with regional needs. The initiative will benefit from €87 million from the EU budget from 2021–2027, and bring together the European Commission, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, and the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub. The Social Protection initiativestrengthens national social protection systems in Sub-Saharan Africa through collaborative efforts at regional level. It will build on exchanges of European and African experiences and good practices to establish social protection systems. This initiative brings together the European Commission, Belgium, France, Germany and Ireland. The EU contributes to social protection system strengthening at country level in Sub-Saharan Africa through ongoing bilateral cooperation worth approximately €250 million.

Background

Today’s launch was attended by the European Commission, Belgian Government, African Union and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), as well as high-level representatives of various member states encompassing the Team Europe together with EU institutions.

The initiatives are part of EU Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package presented at the 6^th EU–AU Summit in 2022 and support the joint vision for 2030. They are fully in line with the EU Global Health Strategy and the New Public Health Order for Africa to foster resilient health systems on the continent, showcasing the joint commitment of the EU and the AU to supporting initiatives for pandemic preparedness, health security and equitable access to quality essential health services.

At the high-level event, the Africa CDC and the European Commission also signed an administrative arrangement to establish modalities of cooperation, including regular technical dialogue, capacity-building, and promotion of technical collaboration, additionally intending to exchange information and facilitate staff exchanges.

For More Information

Africa-EU Partnership

Health – European Commission

Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package factsheets

* Updated on 20/03/2024 at 15:30

Quote(s)

Strong international partnerships and shared goals are crucial to effectively tackle current and future health challenges. As we expand the strategic Africa-EU Health partnership, today’s initiatives are part of the external dimension of the European Health Union and a strong sign of our mutual commitment to working together. This means jointly strengthening prevention, preparedness and response and prioritising a One Health approach and the fight against AMR to ensure better health care and protection for all our citizens.

Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

Learning the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, Team Europe and Africa are further strengthening their cooperation on global health and social protection to put SDGs back on track. These initiatives underscore our collective Team Europe commitment to fostering sustainable health security and advancing public health and social protection in Africa and with Africa. By collaborating with regional partners and leveraging innovative approaches, we aim to build resilient systems that benefit communities across the continent. These initiatives showcase the Global Health Strategy, a pillar of the Global Gateway investment strategy’s, in action.

Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships

The launch of these three TEIs focusing on health and one on social protection shows that we want to tackle the various aspects of health profoundly. The TEIs bring together the challenges of both health security and universal health coverage and come up with tangible answers.

Caroline Gennez, Minister of Development Cooperation of Belgium

Through collaborative efforts with Team Europe, we’re advancing health initiatives like One Health and Primary Health Care, to advance health systems and disease surveillance across Africa. The launch of these three Team Europe Initiatives focusing on health, alongside our commitment to social protection, signifies a crucial step in addressing global health challenges directly and emphasising universal health coverage.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, Directoral General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention