Launching the economic case for African health R&D investment at the World Health Assembly 2026
Period: May 2026
Client / context: Enabel, through the AU–EU Health Partnership, working with Africa CDC and Team Europe. Assignment secured through Moderating.eu
Location: World Health Organization headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland
CONTEXT
How do you turn an economic research report into a compelling case for political action? Developed by Africa CDC, Enabel, GIZ and Global Health Ecosystems under the AU–EU Health Partnership, “Investing in Health R&D: Africa’s Next Economic Growth Frontier” made the economic case for increased African investment in health research and development.
Its official launch during the 79th World Health Assembly needed to bring that evidence to life. With numerous side events competing for attention, the challenge was to attract a high-level audience to an end-of-day session and make the report’s findings clear, concrete and useful for further advocacy.
The event needed to give Africa CDC and the report’s authors space to explain the research, connect economic findings with practical examples, and provide visibility for the partners behind the initiative. It also needed to remain engaging and interactive while meeting the protocol requirements of a high-level international gathering.
MY ROLE
Engaged through Moderating.eu, I worked with Enabel’s organising team to shape and moderate a launch centred on the report’s core argument: investment in African health R&D is a driver of economic growth, innovation and resilience.
I translated the report’s findings and the organisers’ objectives into a structured discussion, developing the moderation narrative and tailored questions to draw out the evidence, its policy implications and concrete examples. The aim was to help participants understand both what the research showed and how they could use its findings in their own institutional and policy conversations.
I prepared a written speaker briefing and worked with the organising team to connect the different contributions into a coherent session. This meant balancing the report authors’ technical explanations, Africa CDC’s continental perspective and the contributions of senior policymakers and international partners.
With ministers, ambassadors and senior institutional representatives involved, I also helped navigate protocol requirements and anticipate sensitive points in the programme. During the launch, I guided the exchange through last-minute changes and a delayed start, making decisions about transitions and emphasis to preserve the substance and energy of the discussion.
WHAT CAME OUT OF IT
A full room for the report’s official launch, attracting high-level African and international participation amid a crowded World Health Assembly programme.
An engaging dialogue that brought the report’s economic evidence into conversation with policy priorities and practical examples of African health innovation.
A clear public platform for the AU-EU Health Partnership, Africa CDC and the report’s authors to present the findings, with visibility for the funders and implementing partners behind the initiative.
A launch that supported the wider communication and advocacy campaign, introducing evidence and messages participants could carry into subsequent discussions on domestic investment in African health R&D.
