US to help fight disease in Africa – New Business Ethiopia

The United States and the African Union Commission signed a Memorandum of Cooperation reaffirming their commitment to African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC for Africa).

The OMC deepens the existing partnership between the US CDC and the African CDC by strengthening cooperation on surveillance, emergency preparedness and response, laboratory systems, information systems and workforce development .

This agreement is another example of the US commitment to work with the African Union to address key socio-economic and development challenges in Africa.

The OMC was signed at the sixth annual high-level dialogue between the United States Commission and the African Union, held in Addis Ababa at the headquarters of the African Union Commission yesterday, 29 November.

Ambbadador Kwesi Quartery, Ambbadador of the African Union Commission (AUC), and Ambbadador Tibor Nagy, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, led the US Delegations and AUC participation in the High-Level Dialogue level.

This annual dialogue codifies engagement through four pillars of cooperation: (1) advancing peace and security in Africa; (2) promote economic growth, trade and investment; (3) strengthening democratic institutions and good governance; and (4) promote opportunities and development in Africa.

Officially launched on January 30, 2017, the CDC for Africa is a pan-continental public health agency created to protect health in Africa. The United States and the African Union share the belief that health is essential to development, growth, prosperity and national security. They are committed to strengthening the health systems that are essential for an effective response to the public health challenges that all countries face.