Dar set to benefit from AfDB-UNFPA health pact

CONGO BRAZZAVILLE: TANZANIA and other African countries are expected to benefit from increased investment in maternal healthcare and women’s empowerment, following the signing of a landmark partnership agreement between the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on Tuesday at the Kintélé International Conference Centre in Brazzaville, Congo on the sidelines of the AfDB Annual Meetings, seeks to strengthen maternal health systems and accelerate Africa’s economic transformation.

The agreement was signed by AfDB President Dr Sidi Ould Tah and UNFPA Executive Director Ms Diene Keita. The partnership aims to position maternal health and demographic resilience as central pillars of Africa’s development agenda, while promoting investment in women and young people as drivers of economic growth and human capital development.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Ms Keita said Africa’s future prosperity depends on strategic investment in women and youths.

“Immense opportunity lies within Africa’s grasp if we make strategic investments in women and young people. Economic progress for Africa is only possible if we prioritise women’s health and address preventable maternal deaths,” she said.

She added that UNFPA would work closely with the AfDB to ensure demographic transition roadmaps are integrated into national financing strategies, recognising investments in health and reproductive rights as critical to Africa’s future.

Dr Tah expressed concern over persistently high maternal mortality rates and unequal access to quality healthcare services across many African countries.

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“Africa cannot achieve meaningful economic transformation while women continue to die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth,” he said.

He warned that Africa risks losing its demographic advantage if investments in healthcare systems, education and women’s empowerment are not urgently expanded. The agreement frames maternal health not only as a healthcare issue, but also as an investment in productivity, resilience and long-term economic growth. It aims to help African countries harness the demographic dividend through stronger financing mechanisms and policy reforms.

Although Africa has made progress in reducing maternal mortality, significant challenges remain due to structural barriers, limited healthcare access and financing gaps.

Under the partnership, UNFPA and the AfDB will explore innovative financing and implementation mechanisms to support investments in women and youths. Priority areas include digital training for health workers, strengthening procurement systems, upgrading climate-resilient health infrastructure and digitising health information systems.

The two institutions also pledged to integrate demographic transition strategies into national financing plans to ensure investments in health and reproductive rights are recognised as essential to Africa’s future growth.

Since 1992, UNFPA and the AfDB have collaborated on several initiatives across Africa, including improving maternal healthcare services, strengthening population data systems and supporting reproductive health programmes in multiple countries.