African Leaders Sound Alarm as Malaria Progress Stalls, Funding Faces Steep Cuts
A coordinated effort to combat malaria across Africa is facing a critical juncture, with leaders warning of a potential resurgence of the disease due to stalled progress and looming funding shortfalls. The warning comes ahead of a joint press conference scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 12:00 – 12:45 PM EAT at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The press conference, hosted by President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko of the Republic of Botswana – also the current chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) – alongside representatives from the African Union Commission and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, will present the findings of the 2025 African Union Malaria Progress Report. The report reveals a sobering reality: despite decades of effort, gains against malaria have plateaued since 2015. Alarmingly, African Union Member States bear the brunt of the global malaria burden, accounting for 96% of all malaria cases and 97% of malaria-related deaths worldwide.
A projected 30% reduction in funding for malaria programs could trigger a devastating reversal, leading to an estimated 146 million additional cases and 397,000 preventable deaths by 2030. “We are facing a perfect storm of challenges,” stated a senior official, highlighting the convergence of critical financial constraints, climate change-driven outbreaks, and the growing resistance of malaria-carrying mosquitoes to existing insecticides.
The “Big Push” Against Malaria, an initiative spearheaded by African leaders, aims to address these challenges through a multi-pronged strategy. Key priorities include bolstering health sovereignty by promoting local manufacturing of essential medicines and tools, increasing domestic resource mobilization to offset the 70% drop in Official Development Assistance (ODA), and establishing End Malaria Councils to ensure sustained political commitment. Furthermore, the initiative will focus on deploying next-generation tools to combat insecticide resistance and mitigate the impact of climate-driven outbreaks.
The Africa Malaria Progress Report, an annual publication jointly prepared by the African Union Commission, ALMA, and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, serves as a crucial benchmark for tracking progress against the AU Catalytic Framework targets. The report meticulously documents Member State actions and identifies emerging threats to malaria elimination, and is presented annually to Heads of State and Government during the African Union Summit.
Founded in 2009, ALMA has emerged as a pivotal force in the fight against malaria, uniting African Heads of State and Government in a collaborative effort to achieve a malaria-free Africa by 2030. More information about ALMA’s work can be found at www.alma2030.org.
The 2025 Africa Malaria Progress Report will be available for download beginning February 14, 2026, at www.au.int and www.alma2030.org.
The press conference will feature remarks from President Boko, additional Heads of State and Government (to be confirmed), Her Ambassador Amma Tum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, and Dr. Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. Mrs. Leslie Richer, Director for Information and Communication at the African Union Commission, will moderate the event.
The overarching message, encapsulated in the campaign slogan “Zero Malaria Starts with Me. Zero Malaria Starts with You,” underscores the collective responsibility required to overcome this escalating public health crisis.
For further information, contact:
Ms. Inas Mubarak Yahia Abbas ([email protected])
Thomas Davies ([email protected])
Eloïne Barry ([email protected])
Molalet Tsedeke ([email protected])
Godstime Gaius ([email protected]).
The urgency of the situation demands a renewed and unified commitment to funding and innovation, lest decades of progress be undone and millions more lives placed at risk.
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