Large-scale funding for the Institut Pasteur de Dakar’s new vaccine manufacturing facility, a leader in the area in Africa. The facility, which would produce up to 300 million doses per year against COVID-19 and other endemic diseases, is projected to considerably reduce Africa’s reliance on imported vaccines and support equal access to medicines. This funding underlines the EIB’s (www.EIB.org) substantial participation in Africa, particularly through its new EIB Global project, which brings together its efforts outside of the European Union and works closely with other EU institutions as part of Team Europe.
In the presence of EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, Aliou Ndiaye, General Secretary of the Senegalese Ministry of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Dr Amadou Alpha Sall, Director of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, and Irène Mingasson, AVP of the European Investment Bank, the Institut Pasteur de Dakar and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced the signing of a €75 million financing agreement to support The EIB funding will be critical in scaling up vaccine manufacturing capacity in the region in response to outbreaks and endemic illnesses.
The new site for the Institut Pasteur de Dakar is being developed at Diamniadio, a town and special economic zone strategically located between Dakar, Senegal’s capital, the international airport, and Ndayane’s “Port du Futur.” A manufacturing platform for epidemic vaccinations, a high-volume production site for yellow fever vaccines, and a training site for the production of next-generation vaccines are all part of the cutting-edge facility.
This large-scale funding would aid Africa’s medical and vaccine production capabilities in the fight against COVID-19 and other endemic illnesses, reducing the continent’s reliance on imports, which presently meet 99 percent of its vaccination needs. Once the new manufacturing plant is up and running, it will be able to produce up to 300 million vaccine doses each year for the African continent. Recognizing the difficulty of constructing this new vaccine production facility, the EIB and the European Union donated €5 million in 2021, along with other partners, for technical feasibility studies and project preparation for the Institut de Dakar’s MADIBA project (Manufacturing in Africa for Disease Immunisation and Building Autonomy).
“Having different levels of protection in different parts of the world will not help to end the COVID-19 pandemic or control other vaccine-preventable diseases. It is essential to create decentralised vaccine manufacturing capacity to address this imbalance and ultimately build a safer and healthier world,” said Dr Amadou Alpha Sall, Director of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar. “We must build a thriving ecosystem for vaccine production in Africa to achieve the level of resilience we all need. Expanding capacity in all vaccine-related sectors will create major employment opportunities for thousands of young Africans.”
“I am delighted that the EIB is a key financer of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar. This new vaccine manufacturing facility is a vital project for public health in Senegal and across the African continent, contributing to greater autonomy in the production and distribution of essential vaccines,” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “With EIB Global, our goal is to work with our partners as closely as possible to meet the needs of Senegalese people, supporting growth and jobs, and improving their day-to-day lives in key areas such as health and access to healthcare. This project is also a concrete example of the European Union’s joint approach in Africa through Team Europe.”
“The MADIBA project demonstrates the European Union’s and Team Europe’s commitment to upholding the fundamental principle of solidarity that links us to all countries across Africa. Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we have maintained that no one is safe until everyone is safe. We must therefore work together to ensure equal access to vaccines around the world,” said Irène Mingasson, Head of the EU Delegation to Senegal.
This funding is part of Team Europe’s and its partners’ larger European investment agenda. The EIB, through its specialized development arm (EIB Global), is a prominent player in Africa’s vaccine, medication, and health technology manufacturing and access.
With about €900 million invested since 1966 to enhance living conditions in cities and rural communities, increase the economy, and assist businesses, small project promoters, and society adapt to climate change, the EIB has become one of Senegal’s most important development partners.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of European Investment Bank (EIB).Press contacts:
EIB
Anne-Cécile Auguina.auguin@bei.org
Tel.: +352 43 79 83330 / Mobile: +352 621 36 19 48
Website: www.EIB.org/press
Press Office: +352 4379 21000 – press@eib.org
Institut Pasteur de Dakar
Abdou Khadre Lo
Email: abdou.lo@wesaywedo.com
Tel.: +221 77 529 52 51
Ndiouga Faye
Email: ndiouga.faye@pasteur.sn
Tel.: +221 77 442 76 00
Social Media(EIB):
Twitter: bit.ly/3pMKidw
Facebook: bit.ly/31TarPV
Instagram: bit.ly/3IES169
YouTube: bit.ly/3yoLR57
RSSFeed: bit.ly/3dOhXy0
LinkedIn: bit.ly/3m0yZNN
Social Media (EIB Global):
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3GNEgkM
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3alcjVk
Background information (EIB):
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union (EU) owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.
The EIB has been operating in Africa since 1965 with a total investment of €60.3 billion.
EIB Global (www.EIB.org) is the EIB Group’s new specialised arm dedicated to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance. It is designed to foster strong, focused partnership within Team Europe (https://bit.ly/3NvAkrP), alongside fellow development finance institutions, and civil society. EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world (https://bit.ly/3mcHZiq).