Dr. Delese Mimi Darko is the Director-General of the African Medicines Agency
Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, the Director-General of the African Medicines Agency (AMA), has held a high-level discussion with the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, to finalise plans for the full operationalisation of the agency in a move to advance continental health security.
The African Medicines Agency, established under the African Union, is a cornerstone of the continental health architecture.
Operating within the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, the AMA is poised to work closely with sister institutions like the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to deliver on the AU’s health priorities.
This collaborative meeting in Kigali, widely seen as a major leap forward in ensuring the AMA is fully equipped to play its central role in transforming the healthcare landscape across Africa, will ultimately contribute to the realisation of the aspirations of Agenda 2063: “The Africa We Want.”
The meeting, held at the Presidency in Kigali on Monday, October 13, marks a pivotal step in activating the AMA as the central body for harmonising the regulation of medicines and medical products across Africa.
Dr. Darko was led to the meeting by the African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Her Excellency Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah. They were accompanied by the Director-General of the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority and a Board Member of the AMA, Professor Emile Bienvenu.
President Kagame, who is also the African Union Champion for Domestic Health Financing, received the delegation and discussed the strategic role of the AMA in strengthening health systems continent-wide.
During the engagement, Dr. Darko expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Rwanda for the provision of a state-of-the-art, 8-storey headquarters building for the AMA in Kigali.
This facility, she noted, is a key component of the host country agreement between the African Union and Rwanda and will serve as the nerve center for the Agency’s activities.
Dr. Darko outlined the AMA’s core mandate to enhance regulatory harmonisation, improve access to quality-assured and affordable medical products, and support the development of resilient health systems in Africa.
She affirmed her commitment to “lead the AMA to become a world-class regulatory agency,” which is critical for building confidence in locally manufactured medicines and attracting pharmaceutical investment to the continent.
A key point of discussion was the need for strategic coordination and the prudent management of financial resources.
Dr. Darko emphasised that this was particularly crucial “in the context of global donor fatigue and increasing demands on African health systems,” underscoring the need for sustainable domestic financing and efficient use of funds.
