Rwanda signs  $3.6 million deal with EU to improve facilities for manufacturing Covid vaccines

By Kingsley Chiahemen

Rwanda and the European Union struck a Rwf 3.6 billion ($3.6 million) collaboration on Wednesday to help Rwanda expand its laboratory capacity in order to attract companies who will manufacture Covid-19 vaccines.

The funds will help Rwanda’s Foods and Drugs Authority build a rigorous quality control system for medicinal products, which will help the authority obtain World Health Organization certification (WHO) according to Ms Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer.

“What we signed is a step to revamp and also strengthen the Rwanda Foods and Drugs Authority. The money we will receive from the EU will support the acquisition of laboratory equipment to make it a modern facility that will enable Rwanda to get a WHO certification,” Ms Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Development Board told CNBC Africa on Thursday.

“The WHO certification we need for this will also build the confidence of investors who want to produce vaccines. They (investors) will be able to trust the regulatory capacity we want to strengthen with this funding.”

Rwanda proposes to begin producing coronavirus vaccines utilizing mRNA technology in the next months, thanks to international support for building local capability.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said last week at the Qatar Economic Forum that talks with partners to manufacture vaccines locally had progressed and that the process will begin “in a few months.”