Egypt is now the new host of the Arab Drug Agency.

That was the decision taken by the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League during its 114th session held this month.

Egypt presented a proposal in March 2022 for the establishment of the drug agency. The Council for Arab Ministers of Health approved the proposal a year later.

The decision was taken as part of the efforts by Egyptian institutions working in the health and pharmaceutical sector to coordinate and integrate with other Arab countries to enhance Arab health systems and to unify the organisation of quality assurance of pharmaceuticals in those countries.

The Arab Drug Agency aims to establish a unified regulatory framework for procedures in drug approval and standards in Arab countries, explained Yassin Ragai, assistant chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority. It also aims to deepen regional and international cooperation to enhance pharmaceutical research, development and innovation, and build the regulatory capacity of member states through training, exchange of knowledge and technical support for stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to improving access to safe and effective high-quality medicines while encouraging research and discovering new treatments.

“The agency’s founding principles do not require Arab countries to adopt a unified purchasing or registration system for medicines unless agreed upon by all states,” Ragai told Al-Ahram Weekly.

According to Ragai, Egypt was chosen as the headquarters because of its pioneering leadership in the pharmaceutical market in the Arab region, and the confidence it enjoys in regulatory and manufacturing capabilities. The agency represents a “great opportunity” to support Arab leadership in pharmaceutical innovation and improving public health, in addition to its positive economic return in the region through attracting investments and facilitating the movement of pharmaceutical trade, he said.

Ragai said that one of Egypt’s strong points in the pharmaceutical sector is Gypto Pharma, the largest pharmaceutical city and factory. He said the city was a strategic step towards achieving self-sufficiency in the pharmaceutical industry, localising raw materials and reducing dependence on imports. “The city also enhances national drug security and works to achieve the permanent availability of important drugs in the Egyptian pharmaceuticals market,” he stressed. The Egyptian Drug Authority provides technical and procedural support to the city and works to coordinate cooperation between it and international pharmaceutical companies to gain expertise and manufacturing capabilities according to the latest international standards, Ragai said.

The project covers 180,000 square metres and will be built in two phases. The current stage covers 120,000 square metres and includes factories for the production of pharmaceuticals, administration, industrial services and networks.

The remaining area will include factories producing biosimilars, oncology medications, β-Lactam antibiotics, hormone drugs and vaccines.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 19 September, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly