Rwandan President Paul Kagame has called on African nations to take full ownership of their health financing challenges, urging a shift from reliance on foreign aid to self-sustained funding.
Speaking at the 38th session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Addis Ababa, Kagame emphasized the need for African governments to prioritize domestic resource mobilization to strengthen their health systems.
“Africa now finds itself at a crossroads,” Kagame told African leaders and policymakers. “The health financing landscape has shifted dramatically. To attract grant funding for health, we will have to make a very strong case, which means contributing more from our own resources and relentlessly focusing on value for money.”
Kagame, the AU Champion on Domestic Health Financing, stressed that Africa’s development, including healthcare, cannot be outsourced. He urged governments to adopt innovative financing strategies and ensure accountability in health investments. His remarks set the stage for a High-Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing, which he chaired later that afternoon. The meeting was organized in collaboration with the African Union Commission, Africa CDC, and AUDA-NEPAD and focused on strategies to build sustainable health financing models.
Kagame’s call to action comes at a critical time, as the U.S. government recently suspended all USAID projects in Africa. Liberia, a country heavily relying on foreign aid to fund its fragile health sector, faces mounting pressure to find alternative solutions. With President Joseph Boakai attending his first AU Summit since taking office, many Liberians hope his administration will take decisive steps toward financial independence in healthcare.
The summit presents an opportunity for Liberia to reassess its reliance on external funding and chart a path toward self-sufficiency. As Kagame said, “The journey ahead is challenging, but it is also full of opportunity. We will build a stronger, healthier Africa for future generations by coming together and taking ownership of our health financing.”
