The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance collaboration on women and adolescents’ health innovation, data-driven policymaking, and sustainable investment across Africa. The agreement, formalized during the African Union Summit 2026 by UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Diene Keita and Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya, reflects a joint commitment to advance universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), promote demographic resilience, and strengthen equitable, innovation-driven health systems across the continent.
The MoU establishes a framework for joint action to scale innovations and improve policy coordination in adolescent, maternal, and reproductive health. Key priorities include enhancing access to essential services and technologies, localizing manufacturing, and improving pooled procurement mechanisms for sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health (SRMNAH) products. Ms. Keita emphasized that the partnership leverages public health leadership, technical expertise, and continental reach to accelerate progress for women, adolescents, and vulnerable populations.
Building on prior collaboration, including the launch of the WomenX Collective Nairobi Hub in June 2025, UNFPA and Africa CDC aim to strengthen African-led innovation ecosystems, promote sustainable financing, and drive inclusive digital transformation. Dr. Kaseya highlighted that the partnership reinforces Africa’s leadership in delivering sustainable, data-driven health solutions while ensuring women and girls remain central to the continent’s health and development agenda.
The organizations will also focus on mobilizing resources, engaging the private sector, and promoting blended finance and co-investment models to advance women’s health and innovation. Planned initiatives include digital health systems, innovative procurement solutions, and capacity-building programs that equip health leaders and program managers to implement equitable and resilient primary health care.
Under the MoU, UNFPA and Africa CDC will collaborate with regional and national public health institutions to foster innovation ecosystems, strengthen policy advocacy, scale sustainable investments, advance responsible research and development, enhance workforce capacity, promote data-driven decision-making, and improve sustainable access to SRMNAH products through pooled procurement and localized manufacturing.
UNFPA’s mission is to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled, working globally to provide universal access to sexual and reproductive health. Africa CDC, as the African Union’s public health agency, supports member states in strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and enhancing emergency preparedness and response across the continent.
