By Milliam Murigi
The European Commission has committed more than $100 million to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa.
The funding includes $50 million to strengthen Africa–Europe health security collaboration. It will support AMR surveillance, prevention and control at national, regional and continental levels.
Apart from that it will strengthen laboratory capacity and diagnostics across Africa and increase cooperation between European and African health agencies over the next five years.
“This investment will help consolidate the African health security architecture and foster partnerships between European and African stakeholders, strengthening the One Health workforce and the response to AMR,” said Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships.
The implementation will be done together with key partners including the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Food Safety Authority, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership and the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions.
AMR is one of the most serious global health threats. If no action is taken, by 2050 it is projected to cause up to 10 million deaths annually, of which 4.5 million would be in Africa. AMR is already associated with more than 35,000 deaths annually in Europe, and costs European healthcare systems an estimated $12 billion each year.
“Global health security is a shared responsibility and a strategic investment in our common future. With our support to our new One Health initiative with Africa, the European Union confirms its commitment to strengthening health systems and global health resilience. The EU remains a reliable partner committed to international cooperation and long-term investment in global health through Global Gateway,” said Síkela.
A further $54 million will go into research and development targeting antimicrobial resistance and neglected diseases. Of this, $32 million is specifically earmarked for developing new antibiotics and medical countermeasures.
The funding, managed by KfW, Germany’s Development Bank, will support the not-for-profit organisations Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) and the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) to accelerate early-stage antibacterial research and to advance late-stage clinical development projects, ensuring a diversified and continuous pipeline for AMR medical countermeasures.
To further advance protection against global health threats, the Commission has signed a $22 million contribution agreement with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for the implementation of activities by the non-profit research organisation Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), in support of the development of dengue medical treatments.
This project was launched in March in anticipation of increasing needs for medical countermeasures against vector-borne diseases in the EU driven by climate change.
“With this action, the Commission, through its Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), is strengthening EU preparedness by supporting innovation for antibacterial products and other countermeasures against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). By aligning innovation from early discovery through to clinical validation, we can accelerate the development of these lifesaving products and ensure their availability. This approach tackles AMR and strengthens EU readiness for future health threats,”Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.
This AMR-focused package sits alongside a $760 million pledge by the European Commission to The Global Fund for its 2027–2029 replenishment cycle.
The Global Fund is a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, which has saved millions of lives and significantly reduced mortality from the three diseases while investing in resilient and sustainable health systems and global health security.
It focuses in particular on the most vulnerable populations at risk, especially women and girls who often face barriers to accessing lifesaving health services.
