This archive report was first published on 6 September 2021.
Published on September 6, 2021, Rwanda has joined forces with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to develop the nation's capacity to produce essential vaccines for the African continent.
As part of this initiative, IFC will assist Rwanda in conducting diagnostic and feasibility studies to create a world-class vaccine manufacturing supply chain in the country.
This collaboration builds on Rwanda's recent partnership with BioNTech and the kENUP Foundation to develop a holistic manufacturing capability for mRNA vaccines.
According to the IFC, Africa currently depends on other countries for 99% of its vaccine supply. The African Union and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aim to have 60% of Africa's routine vaccines produced locally by 2040.
Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa have been identified as potential regional vaccine manufacturing hubs in Africa, with the goal of producing high-quality vaccines for the African market.
“A resilient Africa needs to develop and maintain its own reliable vaccine supply and health industry,” said Samuel Dzotefe, IFC's Acting Regional Industry Director for Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services in the Middle East and Africa.
“This partnership with the Rwanda Development Board is a vital step toward helping Africa build vaccine manufacturing capacity to respond to COVID-19 and future pandemics,” added Dzotefe.
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