African Medicines Agency Treaty Alliance

Overview

AMATA is a multistakeholder alliance representing patients, academia, civil society, and members of industry who have come together to advocate for the African Medicines Agency (AMA).

The goal is to galvanize and coordinate non-state actors to engage with the AMA. In this way, AMATA will help the AMA succeed in its mission of offering equitable access to quality, safe, and efficacious medicines and technologies for pandemic preparedness and a healthy Africa.

AMATA’s mission is to help strengthen the African pharmaceutical regulatory system and enable more timely access to innovative, safe, quality, and effective medicines and medical devices.

The initiative was born out of the 2017 International Alliance of Patients' Organizations '(IAPO) Entebbe Declaration and the 2021 Multistakeholder Call for AU Heads of State to Ratify AMA Treaty. The multistakeholder call was endorsed by 55 international organizations representing patients, industry, and civil society.

AMATA was officially launched on June 22, 2021, at the AMA High-Level Trilingual Virtual Event co-organized by IFPMA, Les Enterprises du Medicament (LEEM), and IAPO and convened by Michel Sidibe, AU Special Envoy for AMA.

It leverages the networks of each stakeholder and those of other groups that could potentially benefit from regulatory harmonization and that offer complementary expertise.

The goals of AMATA

Seek to engage at technical and political levels

Become a key member of the conversation between the AMA, civil society, and the private sector

Potentially shape governance and management of AMA from within

Watch AMATA’s video statement

Watch AMATA’s video statement marking AMA coming into force on November 5, 2021

Watch

AMATA's objectives

Accelerate the ratification and implementation of the AMA

Be the centralized body galvanizing all non-state actor engagement in the further development and implementation of the AMA

Make sure that the AMA engages with patients and a range of stakeholders who could potentially benefit from regulatory harmonization and are willing to share their expertise

Lobby the AMA for a mechanism to bring technical expertise from a range of stakeholders to the table

Promote R&D of new medical products that will guarantee quality, safe, and fast access

Ensure there are regulatory convergence and reliance mechanisms that enable AMA to deliver to the same standards as other regional agencies

Call for AMA’s Governing Board to recognize patients as key partners

Read AMATA’s latest statements

AMATA welcomes the decision for Rwanda to host headquarters of African Medicines Agency

Read statement

Steering the work of AMATA

As well as IFPMA, the following organizations steer the work of the Alliance:

Membership criteria

AMATA is a membership organization. Eligible organizations include:

Non-governmental and other civil society organizations engaged in African health development
African health professional associations such as those representing doctors, nurses, community health workers, and pharmacists.
African academic and research bodies
Non-state actors in official relationship with the WHO and their African members or chapters
Public-private partnerships, including medicines and health devices
African and international trade associations

Become a member

If you would like to become a member of AMATA, please return a completed Application Form to  amata@iapo.org.uk.

Download membership application form