The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, has called on African leaders to move beyond aid dependency and embrace self-reliance and sustainable development.
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Speaking at the Ibrahim Governance Weekend (IGW), held in Marrakech, Morocco, from 1 to 3 June, Dr Ghebreyesus emphasised the need for a fundamental shift in mindset and a renewed commitment to strong leadership across the continent.
“We cannot continue looking to others to solve our problems. The era of aid dependency must come to an end,” he stated.
“The difference between crisis and opportunity lies in leadership from every one of us.”
He also appealed to international financial institutions to demonstrate leadership by offering fairer and more concessional lending terms to African countries.
“There is something inherently flawed in a system where African nations pay higher interest rates to borrow than wealthier countries,” he remarked.
Dr Ghebreyesus advocated for donor funding to be directed towards strengthening national systems aligned with domestic priorities, rather than covering operational costs or externally selected projects. He highlighted the Lusaka Agenda’s approach one plan, one budget, one report as a model for alignment and efficiency.
“WHO remains ready to support countries and work with all partners to turn the present crisis into a transformative opportunity,” he said.
“The decisions we take now will shape the future of global health financing. We must get them right.”
He reiterated that health should be viewed not as a cost, but as an investment in people, stability, and economic progress.
However, he emphasised that peace was an even more critical factor for Africa’s future.
“The best medicine is peace,” he said. “Without peace, nothing else will matter.”
Reflecting on his visit to conflict-affected Sudan in 2024 and the ensuing refugee crisis in Chad, Dr Ghebreyesus described a severe public health emergency, with outbreaks of cholera, measles, malaria, dengue, diphtheria, and polio.
“Thousands are dying. A ceasefire is urgently needed to facilitate the delivery of vaccines and save lives,” he appealed.
He concluded by reaffirming WHO’s continued commitment to supporting African countries in building resilient, self-sustaining health systems and stressed that lasting peace is the cornerstone of a healthier, more equitable, and prosperous Africa.
