联合国贸易发展委员会-为投资非洲当地制药生产建立案例（英）-2025_78页_9mb

Summary of "Building the case for investment in local pharmaceutical production in Africa"

Core Content

This report, published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), presents a comprehensive framework for investment policymakers to promote local pharmaceutical production in Africa. It outlines the importance of local manufacturing in enhancing health outcomes, reducing dependency on external supply chains, and supporting economic development. The report also discusses the current landscape of pharmaceutical production in Africa, the challenges and opportunities for investment, and the role of policy incentives in fostering sustainable growth.

Main Viewpoints

• Health Impact: Local pharmaceutical production is crucial for improving access to essential medicines and vaccines, especially in the context of global health challenges like pandemics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• Strategic Impact: Local production enhances national health sovereignty and reduces reliance on imports, ensuring a stable supply of medicines.
• Economic Impact: It can stimulate job creation, foster local industries, and support long-term economic development.
• Feasibility of Local Production: While local production is currently limited, especially in smaller economies, it can become competitive with imports at sufficient scale.
• Role of Incentives: Well-designed incentives are essential to drive investment in local production, balancing feasibility and impact. These include fiscal measures and preferential procurement.
• Need for Regional Integration: Strengthening regional collaboration and integration is key to overcoming market fragmentation and achieving economies of scale.
• Focus on Local Formulation: The report emphasizes local formulation as the most immediate and feasible strategy, while also acknowledging the strategic importance of API production.

Key Information

• Current Market Trends: Over 70% of pharmaceuticals in Africa are imported, primarily from Asia. Local production exists in about half of African countries but is concentrated in North Africa and a few regional hubs in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Industry Concentration: The pharmaceutical industry is highly concentrated, with 85% of the approximately 690 plants located in North Africa and a few regional hubs.
• Challenges: High production costs, reliance on imported APIs, and fragmented demand are major barriers to local production in many African countries.
• Opportunities: Scaling local production can improve access to medicines, support economic development, and enhance health outcomes.
• Policy Recommendations:
  • Design a balanced mix of incentives (fiscal and market-shaping) to support local pharmaceutical production.
  • Leverage foreign direct investment (FDI) to finance productive capacity and integrate local industries into global value chains.
  • Invest in specialized infrastructure and special economic zones (SEZs) to create conducive environments for growth.
  • Foster regional integration and cross-border collaboration to harmonize regulations and pool procurement.
  • Develop targeted, country-specific policies to address unique feasibility conditions and industrial goals.
  • Strengthen investment facilitation through digital platforms and streamlined regulations.

Policy Framework

The report proposes a three-pillar framework for investment policymakers:

1. Impact: Focus on health, strategic, and economic benefits of local production.
2. Feasibility: Assess the business case, including production volumes, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks.
3. Incentives: Design and implement effective and transparent incentive schemes to catalyze investment and ensure sustainability.

Conclusion

Promoting local pharmaceutical production in Africa is not only a health imperative but also an economic and strategic opportunity. A comprehensive and tailored approach, involving collaboration across sectors and levels, is necessary to overcome existing challenges and unlock the full potential of local manufacturing. The report highlights the importance of aligning policy incentives with the realities of the African market and emphasizes the need for sustained investment and strategic planning to build a resilient pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem.