As a prelude to the 8th edition of the Galien Africa Forum and the 5th Galien Africa Prize, the African Media Network for the Promotion of Health and the Environment (REMAPSEN) organized a webinar dedicated to this edition's theme: "Health sovereignty, an imperative for Africa." The president of Galien Africa, Professor Eva Marie Coll Seck, sent a strong message: Africa must stop depending on others to hope to be sovereign in terms of health.

A forum for thinking differently about African health

The Galien Africa Forum will be held in Dakar from October 28 to 31, 2025, with more than 500 participants in person and 1,500 online. According to Professor Eva Marie Coll Seck, this 8th edition is particularly important. “This forum, which now takes place over four days, must allow Africans to think, reflect, act, and propose concrete reforms on the major health issues that directly concern them,” she explains.

Since its inception, the Galien Africa Forum has addressed major issues such as non-communicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes), epidemic diseases, the Covid-19 pandemic, and universal health coverage. This year, the watchword is clear: health sovereignty.

Innovations and inclusive dynamics

The president of Galien Afrique announces several innovations: a youth forum, a women's forum, and a scientific forum. "We will have women researchers, community leaders, politicians, and leaders to discuss health sovereignty. Young people will also have their space to express themselves, because they embody the future of African health," she explains. The approach is intended to be participatory and cross-cutting, with the aim of sharing perspectives between researchers, political decision-makers, and community stakeholders.

“70% of medicines come from outside”

At the heart of this forum, an alarming observation: the continent's pharmaceutical dependence. "We cannot be sovereign in Africa if we depend on others. Today, 70% of the medicines we use come from abroad, and less than 2% of vaccines are produced in Africa," laments Professor Seck.

She advocates for strengthening local production of medicines, vaccines and medical equipment, in order to reduce this structural dependence and build sustainable autonomy.

Towards a “Dakar Declaration” on health sovereignty

The Galien Africa Forum aims to go beyond debate to arrive at concrete recommendations. “We want the discussions to be interactive, open, and inclusive. At the end, we will publish a Dakar Declaration that will showcase the Forum's contribution to the continental debate on health sovereignty,” announced the president.

This approach is in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and recent commitments by African heads of state, notably at the Health Sovereignty Summit held in Ghana, in which the President of Senegal took part. “This is not an isolated idea: health sovereignty is now a requirement for Africa. It is about building a continent capable of producing, innovating and protecting itself,” she concludes.