Kenya has officially become a State Party of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). President William Ruto led a high-level delegation to IVI’s headquarters in Seoul to raise Kenya’s flag during an accession ceremony, solidifying the country’s commitment to the global health organization.
The move was heralded as a pivotal step in strengthening ties between IVI and the Kenyan government, with both parties united in their pursuit of developing end-to-end vaccine research, development, and manufacturing capacities in Kenya and the broader region.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the addition of Kenya to IVI’s state membership, a meaningful step forward as IVI and the Kenyan government continue to strengthen ties in pursuit of a common goal to develop end-to-end vaccine research, development, and manufacturing capabilities in the country and regionally,” said George Bickerstaff, Chairperson of IVI’s Board of Trustees.
President Ruto urged stakeholders to “keep pushing the boundaries of innovation and enhance support for research and development in biotechnology.” He emphasized the need for collective efforts in “building resilient health systems and ensuring the whole world is prepared for any health emergency.”
Dr. Jerome Kim, IVI’s Director General, welcomed Kenya’s accession, stating, “With the exceptional support of the Kenyan government and our research and development collaborators, we look forward to growing IVI’s Country Office in Nairobi and the Advancing Vaccine End-to-End Capabilities in Africa (AVEC Africa) initiative with local and other African partners.”
Susan Nakhumicha, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, echoed the sentiment, highlighting the importance of partnerships like IVI in achieving the country’s “ambitious goal of universal health coverage.” She stressed the critical timing of Kenya’s accession, as the global discourse shifts towards outbreak preparedness and resilient health systems.
The accession ceremony was attended by senior Kenyan officials, including cabinet secretaries, who were in Seoul for the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit. Congratulatory remarks were delivered by Chul Lee, Director General of the International Organizations Bureau of the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General of the Africa CDC.
With Kenya becoming IVI’s 26th State Party, the 1996 United Nations treaty establishing the organization remains open for accession by other countries and intergovernmental bodies, further solidifying IVI’s global mandate in vaccine research and development.
