Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Launches the African Strategic Advisory Group on Genomics

Africa has made major progress in expanding genomic capacity through the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative, which has strengthened sequencing, laboratory, bioinformatics, and data systems across the continent. These investments have supported the use of genomics for the surveillance and characterization of public health threats, including mpox, cholera, antimicrobial resistance, malaria, and other epidemic-prone diseases. ASAG will help consolidate these gains while guiding the broader application of pathogen and human genomics to address Africa’s priority health challenges, including the rising burden of non-communicable diseases.

ASAG is aligned with Africa CDC’s broader agenda of Africa Health Security and Sovereignty, which emphasizes stronger African institutions, continental preparedness and response capacity, sustainable health financing, digital transformation, local manufacturing, and pooled procurement. Through its advisory role, ASAG will provide recommendations on strategic priorities, harmonized standards, capacity building, technology transfer, data governance, privacy, intellectual property, ethics, and partnerships to strengthen genomics as a cornerstone of Africa’s health security and development.

The inaugural eight-member ASAG brings together renowned African and global experts across pathogen genomics, human genomics, bioinformatics, clinical genetics, precision medicine, public health, data governance, ethics, and capacity building: Prof. Christian Happi, Prof. Ambroise Wonkam, Prof. Leon Mutesa, Prof. Tulio de Oliveira, Prof. Ghada El-Kamah, Prof. Nicky Mulder, Prof. Charles Rotimi, and Dr. Yosr Hamdi.

At its inaugural meeting, ASAG members elected Prof. Christian Happi as Chair and Prof. Ghada El-Kamah as Co-Chair. Their leadership will guide the Group’s work in providing independent, evidence-based, and Africa-centred advice to Africa CDC, while supporting collaboration across African Union Member States, scientific institutions, public health agencies, and partners.