At the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly (15–16 February 2025), AU Heads of State and Government marked a landmark moment for Africa’s health agenda with the adoption of the Fully Costed AU Roadmap to 2030 & Beyond: “Sustaining the AIDS Response, Ensuring Systems Strengthening and Health Security for the Development of Africa” (Assembly/AU/Dec.6(XXXVIII)). This milestone underscores a strategic shift in health system development, health security, and disease control, setting the stage for a self-reliant, healthier Africa.

The AU Roadmap to 2030 & Beyond introduces an integrated approach to health financing, service delivery, and disease prevention, streamlining resources and enhancing efficiency to ensure health equity across the continent, taking on a one-stop-shop approach. As global health funding shifts, the Roadmap emphasises domestic resource mobilisation, echoing the perspective of H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, that “We cannot build resilient health systems on external support”.

H.E. Minata Samate Cessouma, AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, emphasized the significance of the Roadmap in attaining the AU Agenda 2063 and the Africa Health Strategy:

“The African Union’s Roadmap to 2030 is a transformative framework that prioritizes integrated health services and increased domestic resources mobilisation to strengthen health Systems across the continent. Aligned with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Africa Health Strategy, it calls for stronger political will and strategic partnerships to sustain investments in resilient health systems, accelerate disease elimination, and advance universal health coverage. Now is the time for collective action towards the attainment of the Roadmap’s goals and secure a healthier, self-reliant Africa for future generations.”

The Roadmap aims to prioritise integrated health service delivery, which combines services for HIV, TB, malaria, other infectious diseases, NTDs, NCDs, and RMNCAH into comprehensive health packages to enhance efficiency and reduce fragmentation, built under the One Plan, One Approach, One Budget. 

It also emphasises domestic resource mobilisation, urging Member States to meet the 15% Abuja target (Abuja 2001 and Abuja 12+) Declarations through innovative financing mechanisms such as debt relief, sin taxes, and increased government health expenditure. To improve financial protection, the Roadmap advocates for risk pooling and the expansion of national and community-based health insurance schemes, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for vulnerable populations. 

Ultimately, the Roadmap is geared towards strengthening the delivery of universal health coverage (UHC) by addressing social determinants of health and ensuring equitable access to quality primary healthcare, particularly for women, children, and marginalised communities. This overall promotes regional cooperation, reduces dependence on external funding, and enhances pandemic preparedness and health security.

The adoption of the AU Roadmap to 2030 & Beyond reflects two years of collaborative efforts by the African Union Commission (AUC), Africa CDC, AUDA-NEPAD, and partners, in response to the Heads of State Assembly Decision (Assembly/AU/Dec.852(XXXVI)). It lays the foundation for resilient health systems, pandemic preparedness, and socioeconomic progress on the continent.

To sustain momentum, the AUC will convene an Extraordinary Summit focused on Ending AIDS by 2030 and Addressing Preventable Maternal Deaths, Communicable, and Non-Communicable Diseases Endemic to the Continent and Strengthening Health Systems. This Summit will:

1. Assess progress on AIDS, TB, malaria, maternal health, and other diseases.
2. Strengthen partnerships for increased collaboration and resource mobilization.
3. Galvanize commitments from governments to ensure transparent, equitable, and sustainable health investments.

For more details on the AU Roadmap to 2030, visit: https://aidswatchafrica.org/african-union-au-roadmap-to-2030-beyond-sustaining-the-aids-response-ensuring-systems-strengthening-and-health-security-for-the-development-of-africa/

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For further information, please contact:                           

Dr. Sheila Shawa I Senior Technical and Partnerships Specialist  | African Union Commission Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development | African Union Commission | E-mail: shawas@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |

Media Contact:

Ms. Janet Faith Adhiambo Ochieng | Communications Officer-Agenda 2063 | African Union Commission | Email: ochiengj@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |

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