Why we’re watching: Low-quality and counterfeit medicines are one of the biggest health problems in Africa, and local manufacturing is one of the continent’s top priorities.

Staff: TBD. (It will be a lean secretariat.)
HQ: Not determined yet. But the scramble is on, and note that Rwanda was the first signatory to the treaty for the agency’s establishment.
Tidbit: Michel Sidibé, the African Union’s envoy leading this initiative, is getting a second act after his ouster at UNAIDS.
Follow: Rumbi Chakamba and Sara Jerving.

Analysis: After more than a decade of planning, the African Union is on the cusp of launching a new specialized agency responsible for harmonizing medical regulations across African countries that sign up. It will be the second continent-wide health agency, joining the Africa CDC. Among its responsibilities are ensuring medical donations coming from overseas are safe and helping African countries create the regulatory environment to step up local manufacturing of medicines and medical devices. Where to locate the agency and who will lead it are big open questions that could have real bearing on how successfully it gets off the ground. — RK.

→ Back to 22 global development organizations to watch in 2022