What will it take to expand local manufacturing and strengthen health systems infrastructure across Africa?
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare what stakeholders across Africa have long known: Severe shortages in lifesaving medical products result from relying on the Global North and Asia as the primary suppliers. The lack of local manufacturing capacity has been a driver of extreme global disparities in access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostics, drugs, and devices. Over two years into the global pandemic, it has become increasingly clear that strengthening health security across Africa, and the world, will require long-term investments to fortify the manufacturing ecosystem.
Against the backdrop of the pandemic and on the occasion of the 77th Session of the U.N. General Assembly, Foreign Policy, in partnership with PATH, will explore the investments, partnerships, and models that can inform a strategy for fostering a sustainable African manufacturing industry and distribution networks across the continent. The event will include leaders from the public and private sectors, international organizations, and civil society who will pinpoint key challenges and illuminate how varying stakeholders can work together to address chronic inequities and strengthen regional health security in Africa. This event will be held in person in New York.
In partnership with
Speakers
H.E. Ambassador Cessouma Minata Samate
Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union (AU)
H.E. Amb Minata Samaté Cessouma is a Burkina Faso diplomat, born on 14 July 1961. She was elected the new Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development o...
H.E. Amb Minata Samaté Cessouma is a Burkina Faso diplomat, born on 14 July 1961. She was elected the new Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union Commission. Ambassador Samate is an Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Burkina Faso in Ethiopia, Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). She also served as the State Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation, in charge of Regional Cooperation in Burkina Faso.
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Dr. Mathume Joseph 'Joe' Phaahla
Minister of Health, Republic of South Africa
Dr Phaahla was appointed as Minister of Health on 5 August 2021. He served as Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa from 30 May 2019 t...
Dr Phaahla was appointed as Minister of Health on 5 August 2021. He served as Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa from 30 May 2019 to 5 August 2021. Dr Mathume Joseph "Joe" Phaahla was the Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa with effect from 26 May 2014 to 25 May 2019.
Dr Phaahla holds a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery(MBCHB) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (previously University of Natal) in 1983. Dr Phaahla practiced as a medical practitioner in various hospitals in KZN, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo until April 1994. Before unbanning of ANC in 1990 served in leadership positions in various mass democratic movement structures including in the NEC of the United Democratic Front.
He became a Member of Provincial Executive Committee of ANC in Limpopo Province from 1991-2001. He became the first MEC for Health and Social Development in Limpopo Province from 1994-1997. He served as MEC Education, Sports and Culture in Limpopo Province 1997-2000.
Dr Phaahla has served as director-general in the Department of Sport and Recreation; he was involved in organising the 2010 FIFA World Cup until 10 May 2009; and served as Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land from May 2009 to October 2010.
In 2000, Dr Phaahla served as chief executive officer of (CEO) of the S.A. Sports Commission which was the overall coordination and regulator of all Sports Federations from 2000-2005.The Sports Commission paved the way for the current S.A. Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee ?SASCOC. He is the former Director-General 2010 FIFA World Cup Government Coordinating Unit 2005-2008. He was elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC in December 2007.
Dr Phaahla was the head of the ANC Presidency responsible for coordinating the office of the President, Deputy President and National Chairperson during election campaign from November 2008 to 30 April 2009.
He was appointed Deputy Minister of Rural development and Land Reform on 11 May 2009 Until 31 October 2010. Dr Phaahla was the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture from November 2010 until May 2014.
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Loyce Pace
Assistant Secretary for Office of Global Affairs (OGA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Ms. Pace is responsible for advancing the U.S. international health agenda through multilateral and bilateral forums. Reporting directly to the Secretary of Health & Human S...
Ms. Pace is responsible for advancing the U.S. international health agenda through multilateral and bilateral forums. Reporting directly to the Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS), she is the Office of Global Affairs’ lead on setting priorities and policies that promote American public health agencies and interests worldwide.
Ms. Pace oversees HHS’ engagement with foreign governments and international institutions as well policymaking bodies such as the G7, G20, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and World Health Assembly. Previously, she served as President & Executive Director of Global Health Council (GHC) and was also a member of the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. At GHC, she advocated for increased federal investments in global health, in the face of budget cuts to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, United States Agency for International Development, and World Health Organization (WHO).
Prior to her role at GHC, Ms. Pace spent over a decade working with community-based organizations and grassroots leaders in countries across Africa and Asia on campaigns calling for person-centered access to health. Additionally, she has held positions on various global and regional advisory committees and boards that focus on equity and inclusion. Ms. Pace holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honors in human biology from Stanford University and a Master’s degree in international health & human rights with the distinction of Delta Omega from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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Reta Jo Lewis
President and Chair of the Board of Directors, Export-Import Bank of the United States
On February 9, 2022, the U.S. Senate confirmed Reta Jo Lewis as EXIM’s President and Chair of the Board of Directors. Chair Lewis was sworn in by Vice President of the United ...
On February 9, 2022, the U.S. Senate confirmed Reta Jo Lewis as EXIM’s President and Chair of the Board of Directors. Chair Lewis was sworn in by Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris on February 16, 2022. Ms. Lewis is a senior executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in international affairs, legal, public policy, business and regulatory affairs, and subnational diplomacy.
Ms. Lewis was most recently a Senior Fellow and Director of Congressional Affairs at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. At GMF, Ms. Lewis led and oversaw initiatives, programs, and bipartisan exchanges for members of the U.S. Congress and their European counterparts, focusing on leadership development and subnational diplomacy efforts. Prior to her time at GMF, she served as the first-ever Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs under Secretary Hillary Clinton at the U.S. Department of State during the Obama-Biden Administration. As Special Representative, Lewis was the chief diplomat in charge of the international efforts to build and support strategic relationships between the federal government, state and local leaders, and their foreign counterparts. In 2013, she was awarded the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award.
Ms. Lewis was the first Black woman to serve as Vice President and Counselor to the President at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She led the Chamber’s initiatives focused on fostering strategic alliances between small businesses, especially women- and minority-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and executives. She is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former Member of the Board of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security. Ms. Lewis received a J.D. from Emory University School of Law, an M.S.A.J. from American University, and a B.A. from the University of Georgia. She is a native of Statesboro, Georgia.
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Nikolaj Gilbert
President and CEO, PATH
Nikolaj Gilbert is president and chief executive officer of PATH. He brings to his roles more than 20 years of international experience as a leader, strategist, and director of ...
Nikolaj Gilbert is president and chief executive officer of PATH. He brings to his roles more than 20 years of international experience as a leader, strategist, and director of complex partnerships.
Before joining PATH, Mr. Gilbert served as director of partnerships for the United Nations Office for Project Services. In that position, he cultivated a deep understanding of the development ecosystem and of health inequity’s underlying causes—from those rooted in global systems and markets, to those at local levels.
Mr. Gilbert is also a member of the Center for Strategic & International Studies’ Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security—which advises on efforts to reform current global health, development, and health security institutions and partnerships. And he is currently serving a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
Previously, Mr. Gilbert served as a director for Novo Nordisk, where he worked in corporate strategy, public-private partnership, business development, global marketing, and finance. Earlier in his career, he worked in supply chain management for Accenture, a global consulting firm, and performed management research at INSEAD, an international business school.
Mr. Gilbert is a Danish citizen and holds advanced degrees in business administration from Copenhagen Business School in Denmark and Ivey Business School in Canada.
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Rajinder Suri
CEO, DCVMN
Rajinder Suri is CEO-DCVMN. He is responsible for leadership, governance, strategic orientation and operational excellence of DCVMN Secretariat.
To meet un-precedented ...
Rajinder Suri is CEO-DCVMN. He is responsible for leadership, governance, strategic orientation and operational excellence of DCVMN Secretariat.
To meet un-precedented challenge posed by COVID-19, Rajinder worked shoulder to shoulder with industry associations like IFPMA and BIO along with COVAX partners. He is member of several advisory expert groups including COVAX Manufacturing & Supply Task Force Leadership Team, MI4A (Market Information for Access to Vaccines) Advisory Group to WHO on Malaria, Global TB Vaccines R&D Roadmap by EDCTP, Expert Group on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine and Market Design and Demand Intelligence pillar of the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM).
He brings with him over 43 years of experience and deep insights of the industry including Pharmaceuticals and Biological products as well as Organizational Development in India and International markets. He has invested over 24 years at the top management level including four years on the Board of Directors of the Indian subsidiary of Sanofi Pasteur and remaining in Pharma.
He has been Member-Gavi-Policy & Planning Committee (PPC) as well as Vice-President, DCVMN Executive Committee (2014-16).
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Reena Ninan
Founder, Good Trouble Productions
Reena is a television journalist who has worked as a White House correspondent, foreign reporter, and news anchor for ABC, CBS, and Fox News. She has reported around the world f...
Reena is a television journalist who has worked as a White House correspondent, foreign reporter, and news anchor for ABC, CBS, and Fox News. She has reported around the world from India to Israel, Libya to Lebanon. She was the anchor, most recently, of the CBS evening news on Saturday nights. She is the founder of Good Trouble Productions, a media company focused on creating content with purpose.
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We’ll see you September 20, 2022 for FP Event: Investing in African Health Security. Contact us at events@foreignpolicy.com if you have any questions.
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Such a facility could enable Beijing to monitor emails, phone calls, satellite transmissions, and shipping traffic along the southeastern United States.