Read the Conversation
Conversation highlights:
- France is supporting African health sovereignty. It coordinates policy, funding, and partnerships to strengthen local manufacturing across Southern Africa.
- The priority has moved from pilots to scale. EU-backed programs like MAV+ are now focused on industrial execution, with South Africa as a key hub.
- Local manufacturing requires local demand. Government procurement and long-term policy stability are key to making production sustainable.
- Regional collaboration is becoming essential. Pooled procurement and shared regulation are needed as global health funding declines.
- Health partnerships extend beyond medicine. France links life sciences cooperation with energy transition, research, and workforce training.
EF: Could you elaborate on how your background in pharmacy translates into the work you're currently doing and what your current priorities are in the region?
TM: The network of Regional Counsellors for Global Health was established by the French government over 10 years ago. We are 11 different counsellors for global health worldwide. I am responsible for Southern Africa, and our role is to promote and monitor France's position in the region. In the areas where we are settled, all questions related to global health are addressed through our five-year global health strategy, a specific document established in 2023.
I coordinate French operators across nine countries in Southern Africa. That includes Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini, and South Africa. My role is to build connections between our public entities and the private sector. That is something I focus on, especially with efforts to strengthen local manufacturing of vaccines and other health products in Africa, since that has been a priority from the beginning. Given the distance from France, I also defend French positions in international forums organized in the region, where I often represent my authorities and leaders, including my ministers when needed. The G20 international meetings in South Africa last year provided numerous opportunities to do so, particularly in the areas of financing cervical cancer prevention and elimination, as well as follow-up discussions on the coalition for local and regional production innovation and equitable access, an initiative launched during the G20 Brazil presidency.
Since I am constantly in the field, I contribute to developing French positions that truly take into consideration the local conditions. The French government seeks positions that are grounded in real-world field experience, especially as we participate in the decision-making bodies of global health partnerships. That includes international organizations and all the vertical funds (Global Fund, Unitaid, Gavi…).
EF: How do you consider these last years, as a challenge or an opportunity?
TM: 2025 followed the past four years, during which we explored new approaches to address the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed many concept projects, funding projects, and start-up projects that were interesting. Now we need to take these ideas, early projects, and pilot efforts and turn them into real action. The focus should now shift to scaling up the innovations and initiatives that have been developed over the past two to four years.
In response to the call from African leaders to produce locally 60% of their needs in vaccines in Africa by 2040, France is part of the Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines, and Health Technologies in Africa (MAV+) that was launched in 2021. MAV+ is a comprehensive support package tackling barriers to manufacturing and access to health products and technologies in Africa that is closely aligned with African strategies and priorities.
The MAV+ initiative has been one of the frontrunners in terms of financing and mobilisation of EU Member States, including France, with 1,96 billion euros for the ongoing and closed projects only, of which 400 million euros were funded by France, as well as the European Medicines Agencies and the European Development Bank.
Currently, 88 projects are funded, with South Africa being the biggest beneficiary (with a total of 697.14 million euros). France participated mainly in the financing of manufacturing capabilities, including projects led by Aspen Pharmacare, Biovac, Afrigen, and the South African Medical Research Council.
Among these projects in South Africa, France is the main funder of the WHO mRNA Tech Transfer Program, whose objective is to share technology and technical expertise with local producers through training and financial support for production know-how, quality control, and product regulation.
EF: What do you think is the right way to take action on ideas and opportunities?
TM: We have supported and developed several projects promoting vaccines and product manufacturing in Africa. Now is the time to evaluate their efficacy by the number of vaccines, devices, pills, and quantities that have been sold. African manufacturing can grow only if the African market plays its part and purchases African products. Africa needs to purchase its own products, and this will increase market scalability and encourage other countries to purchase these products.
This is an action phase, because many facilities already have the capacity, or will have it in the next few months, to produce. It is up to Africa to choose to buy from within Africa. Zambia, for example, has recently established several pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, with the government playing a significant role in developing the pharmaceutical sector. The country has chosen to buy a large share of the production to help the industry grow and remain sustainable. Now it is time for South Africa to do the same.
EF: How do you think we can attract new players to enter and manufacture in the country? What are the key elements for companies to enter Africa?
TM: The most important thing in Africa is long-term vision and stability. If you are an investor, you have numerous countries to invest in around the world, many of which are experiencing rapid development. For these countries, there's a need for long-term vision. It is not about changing the rules all the time. It is about having a relationship with the industries that gives them the impression they can invest for 50 years, not just for two or one year. It is especially challenging for many sectors in the pharmaceutical field, and even more so in the field of vaccines. It is essential to maintain stability and have a long-term vision.
EF: Manufacturing is a key pillar for self-sufficiency. What are the two other pillars needed to create a sustainable model in the country?
TM: When countries aim to develop a new ecosystem, it is essential to consider the entire picture. We all know that producing vaccines and medicines in Africa will always be more costly than making them in Asia, and this is likely to remain true for a long time. When you want to build this kind of ecosystem, you need to think of it as a whole. Yes, the final products will cost more, but at the same time, you will have highly skilled workers in the industries at every level. This includes administrative staff, pharmacists, legal teams, production workers, marketers, sales representatives, and other personnel. Factories rely on a highly skilled workforce. It also supports the growth of universities that train pharmacists and experienced workers for these industries. The final price may be higher, but several parts of the ecosystem are developed, which benefits the economy. It will allow states to recover their costs while building skills and innovation capacities.
EF: What are some of your biggest learnings over the last four years in the region regarding healthcare?
TM: As international funding will probably decrease in the upcoming years, it is important to remain positive. This is the time when most African countries need to rely more on themselves. The international context poses significant challenges for many countries, including those in Europe. Africans need to develop in a way similar to how Europeans developed after World War II. At that time, everything was divided; they were poor, and everything needed to be rebuilt. European nations, even though they had been enemies a few years earlier, chose to collaborate, purchase together, build together, and train together. That is necessary in 2025, as the world is undergoing rapid change.
Africans need to work together, not just talk together. I would like to see African countries trade more easily. Europe was originally built on the principle of coal and steel procurement collaboration. The European Coal and Steel Community was established in 1951 to ease the trading of steel products and coal; a supranational High Authority was responsible for setting prices, ensuring respect for free competition and social protection, and coordinating steel and mining investments. It may be time for African countries to pool their procurement for medicines. That would be the best example of intra-African cooperation. Based on what I have said before, there is no need to discuss it further, as African countries already talk about it often. Now there is a need to act and actually procure medicines.
EF: Looking forward to 2026, in terms of collaboration, what else is needed to go in the right direction?
TM: Apart from the need for Africans to train together and simplify their trade process, it is important to share their different capacities. In the field, the African Medicines Agency has now been established on the same model as the European Medicines Agency, which has strongly supported the development of the European pharmaceutical sector. Sharing skills, capacities, time, and money invested to evaluate the need for new medicines, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, matters. All countries in Africa must have the resources to develop, grow, and become major global players. That can happen only if countries truly share, collaborate, and use their skills, time, and expertise effectively. Promoting such a continental agency is a major step that will encourage countries to develop a useful economic ecosystem.
I have been living here for four years, and there are many small countries in terms of size or population, as there are in Europe. These countries cannot develop in the same way as a large country with a large population. They cannot spend the same amount of money to build the same administrative capacities. The only way forward for many African countries is to come together and pool their expertise.
EF: Could you elaborate on the Embassy’s involvement in climate, energy, and research as part of broader development partnerships with South Africa?
TM: France supports South Africa’s decarbonization through the “Just Energy Transition Partnership” launched at COP26 in Glasgow. Mobilizing over €12 billion from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Netherlands, and Denmark is essential to support South Africa in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. France alone has committed more than €1 billion for a fair and ambitious transition. 100% will be engaged by the end of this year to strengthen South Africa’s climate and energy framework, to support the just dimension of the energy transition; to decarbonize the transport sector, and to improve electricity distribution.
A bilateral agreement between South Africa and France on environment and climate change was signed in 2021. In my own experience living here, electricity issues affect everyone’s daily life. For the economy, energy production and distribution pose a significant challenge that requires renovation to mitigate climate impact. French companies such as EDF, Engie, TotalEnergies, Schneider Electric, Saint-Gobain, also invest massively in renewables, storage, efficiency, and hydrogen. This transition is about more than carbon: it is about health, jobs, water security, and dignity.
EF: What final message would you like to deliver from the perspective of how France contributes to the development of Life Science in South Africa and Africa?
TM: At the embassy, we focus on workforce training and higher education at universities. We are building partnerships between South African and South African-French institutions, particularly in the field of science. We encourage collaboration between scientists and students from both countries.
For students interested in studying in France, there is a France-South Africa scholarship program that we support. Each year, over 20 scholarships are awarded to support South African students in learning specific topics in France. There is also cooperation between African and French research institutes, such as CNRS and IRD.
Since last year, there has been a special call focused on HIV and tuberculosis, which is important due to ongoing needs. The South African Medical Research Council in Cape Town and the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Emerging Diseases (ANRS MIE) launched a joint call for proposals. This year, five projects were selected to research tuberculosis.
