Kenya has missed out on an opportunity to host the African Medicine Agency (AMA) headquarters following delays in concluding the ratification process on an African Union treaty.
An Executive Council meeting in Lusaka picked Rwanda to host the newly established agency of the AU expected to contribute towards improved regulation of medicines, medical products and technologies.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet secretary Raychelle Omamo in May wrote to Parliament for approval of Kenya’s ratification of AU’s Treaty for the establishment of the AMA, meaning that the country failed to meet the June bidding deadline.
“The National Assembly is invited to consider and approve Kenya’s ratification of the African Union Treaty for the establishment of the African Medicines Agency,” Ms Omamo said in her letter to the National Assembly.
To be considered for bidding, member states were required to have concluded the ratification process and deposited the relevant instruments to the Depository, the chairperson AU Commission.
Upon receipt of the formal request for ratification of a treaty, the Speaker of the National Assembly commits it to the relevant parliamentary committee which then invites members of the public to share their opinions on the same.
Among the eight countries that placed formal bids to host the AMA headquarters include Uganda, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Rwanda, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.
AMA will be the second specialised health agency of the AU after the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The AMA which is established by Treaty has its own rules, membership and resources to enhance the capacity of State Parties and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), to regulate medical products.
It is expected that establishing the continental agency will contribute to the improved regulation of medicines, medical products and technologies.
AMA is expected to provide Kenya with an opportunity to leverage foreign direct investment flows.
The ratification now awaits the passing of the necessary legislative instruments at the National Assembly.
This comes at a time American biotechnology firm Moderna has announced that it will set up a manufacturing facility in Kenya, its first in Africa, to produce messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, including Covid-19 shots.
Moderna said it expects to invest about $500 million (Sh56.5 billion) in the Kenyan facility and supply as many as 500 million doses of mRNA vaccines to the African continent each year.
The AMA Treaty entered into force on 5th November 2021 upon depositing the 15th Instrument of ratification at the African Union Commission.
Other non-legislative, yet practical measures that Kenya may need to undertake include the review of existing policies and develop regionally cohesive protocols to enable participation in harmonization activities.
