During the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, rich countries bought the majority of the initial supply of vaccines, leaving low- and lower middle-income countries out of the market for far too long. It wasn’t until demand for vaccines dropped in high-income countries that the global supply of vaccines meaningfully increased in other places.

In response to these inequities, in 2021, the African Union and Africa CDC proposed an ambitious target to manufacture 60% of Africa’s routine and outbreak immunization needs on the continent by 2040.

This regional agenda is nascent. Delivering on it in a sustainable way will require a long-term, strategic approach. This analysis focuses on three areas where efforts on regional manufacturing are advancing — Market design and demand intelligence; Access to Financing; and Talent development and transfer of technology and intellectual property — and offers considerations for next steps.