As part of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, the Minister of Health, Mustapha Ferjani, met the director general of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on May 17, 2025. The exchanges focused on strengthening cooperation, in particular in the local production of vaccines, with the objective of making Tunisia a regional platform in this area.
The Ministry of Health also benefits from the support of the WHO to promote the so -called “single health” approach. This approach will be at the center of the next Middle East regional forum North Africa, which will be held in Tunis on June 14 and 15, 2025.
The Minister transmitted the congratulations of President Kaïs Saïed to the WHO for the international agreement relating to the prevention and management of pandemics, stressing the active role of Tunisia in its development. The director general of the WHO recalled the importance of the Tunisian contribution, especially during exchanges with the Tunisian president since 2020.
Tunisia is one of the six countries benefiting from a technology transfer program for the manufacture of messenger RNA vaccines, according to an agreement announced in February 2022 in Brussels.
Dr. Ferjani confirmed Tunisia’s desire to strengthen its vaccination production capacities to meet the needs of the African region.
In addition, the WHO plans to decentralize some of its activities outside Geneva, and Tunisia is identified as a priority country to welcome these new establishments and develop the role of its local office.
Finally, the Minister of Health invited the WHO Director General to go to Tunisia to attend the regional forum on the “single health” approach.
