Strengthening Regional Health Security in Africa through Flemish Partnerships - Sander Spanoghe, Chancellery and Foreign Office

COVID-19 exposed Africa’s heavy dependence on imported medicines, with 90% coming from outside the continent. To address this, the Government of Flanders launched a project with WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool to encourage responsible technology transfer from Flemish companies to African producers. This “Flemish Model” seeks to balance intellectual property concerns with equitable access, creating a win-win of corporate responsibility, new market opportunities, and stronger local health systems.