Pasteur Network Africa Meeting Wraps Up in Abidjan: Reinforcing Regional Public Health Collaboration

The Pasteur Network Africa Meeting, held from April 15–16 in Abidjan, brought together key players from across the continent for two days of engaging discussions, interactive workshops, and strategic planning. The event focused on strengthening collaboration and enhancing public health surveillance and exploring sustainable approaches to health system resilience and funding.

The meeting kicked off with opening remarks from Adama Diawara of the Ministry of Health of Cote D’Ivoire, joined by representatives from ECOWAS-RCDC (Mamadou Diarrassouba), Africa CDC (Ahmad Umar), WHO Africa (Thierno Baldé), and Noël Tordo, member of the Board of the Pasteur Network. Sandrine Kyane, African Strategic Development Officer, provided an overview and introduced the Pasteur Network’s seven members in the region:

• CERMES (Niger)
• Institut Pasteur of Dakar (Senegal)
• Institut Pasteur of Guinée (Guinea)
• Centre Pasteur du Cameroun (Cameroon)
• Institut Pasteur of Madagascar
• Institut Pasteur de Bangui (Central African Republic)
• Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire

Regional bodies—including Africa CDC, ECOWAS, and WHO Africa—contributed key insights in a session titled “Aligning with Regional Leadership: Public Health Priorities in Africa.” Presentations highlighted the power of shared intelligence, joint planning, and coordinated responses in tackling health emergencies more effectively.

Day two was hands-on, with group work sessions diving into priority themes such as emerging diseases, climate and health, One Health, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and respiratory pathogens. Participants shared challenges and gaps, identified strategic priorities, and mapped out potential interventions along with implementation partners—ensuring alignment with national and regional public health goals.

A special session focused on strengthening funding and coordination during outbreaks. Discussions emphasized the Pasteur Network’s growing role in supporting regional initiatives and deepening partnerships with Africa CDC, ECOWAS, and WHO Africa to help shape and deliver on the continent’s public health agenda.

A Stronger Role for Pasteur Network Africa
As the meeting drew to a close, participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to amplifying the Pasteur Network’s leadership in Africa’s public health ecosystem. With stronger coordination, deeper collaboration, and sustained advocacy, the Network is well positioned to contribute meaningfully to health security and resilience across Africa.The outcomes of the Abidjan meeting mark an important step toward a more unified and coordinated approach to public health—one that reflects Africa’s priorities, harnesses its scientific strengths, and strengthens its voice on the global stage.

Linked members

Africa

Linked partners

Africa CDC