Press Release BMZ strengthens cooperation with Africa on health: Development Minister Alabali Radovan travels to Kenya for World Health Summit

    27 April 2026 | Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan travels to Nairobi today for the World Health Summit Regional Meeting. The Minister is scheduled to attend political talks, in particular with the President of Kenya, William Ruto, and discussions with German and Kenyan pharmaceutical companies that are collaborating on the manufacture of medicines for the African market. Kenya is a pilot country for the new integrated economic approach the BMZ is pursuing with its current reform.

    Development Minister Alabali Radovan said, “Cooperation with Africa in the area of health is crucial – for the people of Africa and for us. Disease knows no borders. It destroys livelihoods, drives families into poverty or forced migration, and robs children of their futures. Which is why we are strengthening health systems through our development cooperation and strategically integrating businesses. The continent of Africa is a market of the future with 1.6 billion people. German and African companies are already working closely together – and we want to expand that cooperation.”

    This is the second time that an African country has hosted a World Health Summit Regional Meeting. The Regional Meeting is taking place as a complement to the World Health Summit in Berlin this autumn.

    The BMZ has been active in the area of health for many years, and supports cooperation and knowledge transfer between German and African companies. For example, the newly developed medicine arpraziquantel – used to treat children with schistosomiasis, a disease caused by parasitic worms found in rivers and lakes – will be produced by the Kenyan company Universal in future, using technology and expertise transferred by the German pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck. The BMZ is also improving supply routes to remote areas to ensure that medicines are available where they are needed most. In addition, the BMZ provides advisory services for companies on meeting quality standards and global market access requirements.

    The BMZ actively promotes the creation of value and jobs in Africa. Training is being provided to equip local experts to correctly install and maintain BASF mosquito nets to fight malaria, for example. The BMZ is also fostering local pharmaceutical production. This creates local jobs and enables independence from international supply chains – a necessity that was made very clear by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    To combat infectious diseases fast and effectively, the BMZ launched the German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG): a team of experts from institutions such as the Charité university hospital and the Robert Koch Institute. The SEEG carries out rapid response measures such as procuring protective equipment and tests, runs information campaigns and provides training for local health workers on how to recognise symptoms early and contain the spread of diseases. It also provides mobile laboratories for testing for viruses such as Ebola and Mpox. Minister Alabali Radovan will meet with an SEEG team at the World Health Summit in Nairobi.