The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding aimed at placing maternal health and demographic resilience at the centre of Africa’s long-term economic transformation agenda.

The agreement, signed on the sidelines of the AfDB Annual Meetings, reframes maternal health as more than a public health priority, positioning it instead as a critical investment in economic growth, productivity, and human capital development across the continent.

At the heart of the partnership is a shared ambition to help African countries fully harness their demographic dividend by investing in women and young people as drivers of sustainable development.

Africa has recorded significant progress in reducing maternal mortality in recent years, but challenges persist, including structural gaps in health systems, unequal access to quality care, and persistent financing shortfalls that continue to hinder progress in several countries.

“Immense opportunity is within Africa’s grasp if we make strategic investments in women and young people,” the UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita said.

“Economic progress for Africa is only possible if we prioritise women’s health and address one of the continent’s most pressing development challenges: preventable maternal deaths.”

She added that the renewed partnership reflects a shared commitment to placing maternal health and human capital development at the core of Africa’s economic transformation agenda.

Under the agreement, UNFPA and the African Development Bank will explore innovative financing and implementation models designed to expand investment in women and youth.

Key focus areas include the modernisation of the health workforce through digital training, strengthening local procurement systems, upgrading climate-resilient health infrastructure, and expanding the digitisation of health information systems.

The two institutions have worked together since 1992, supporting health systems strengthening and data-driven development across Africa.

Their collaboration has contributed to several notable outcomes, including improved population data systems in Côte d’Ivoire, expanded emergency obstetric and newborn care services in Cameroon, and increased access to reproductive health services in Madagascar.

In addition, joint programmes have integrated gender equality and sexual and reproductive health into climate adaptation planning across multiple countries in East and Southern Africa.

Both institutions say the new partnership will ensure that demographic transition roadmaps are embedded in national financing strategies, positioning investments in health and rights as essential pillars of Africa’s future economic resilience.