International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the Kenyan Government have signed an agreement to establish a new Country and AVEC Africa Project Office in the country.
The agreement was signed on Thursday May 14, during a meeting between President William Ruto and IVI Director-General Jerome Kim at State House Nairobi.
The Advancing Vaccine End-to-End Capabilities in Africa (AVEC Africa) project focuses on strengthening Africa’s vaccine ecosystem by linking and enhancing existing institutions and expertise across the vaccine value chain.
In a statement issued shortly after the deal, President Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to continued collaboration in vaccine research and development, clinical trials, manufacturing partnerships, strengthening regulation and staff development.
He announced that IVI will be working closely with our academic and research institutions, including the Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya Biovax Institute, and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
“We have had a strong partnership with the IVI for over 20 years. This relationship has blossomed and recently culminated in the election of our country to the vice-presidency of the IVI Global Council and consequently to the Board of Trustees,” Ruto said.
On his part, Jerome Kim described the agreement as a key milestone in the strengthening of collaboration between the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Kenya, signaling deeper cooperation in advancing vaccine research.
“The signing of this Host Country Agreement marks an important milestone in IVI’s growing partnership with Kenya and our long-term commitment to advancing vaccine research, development, and delivery capacity across Africa,” Jerome Kim said.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the establishment of IVI’s Country Office in Kenya reflects the shared commitment to strengthening health systems, advancing research and development, and championing local manufacturing for Kenya and across Africa.
“The establishment of IVI’s Country Office in Kenya reflects our shared commitment to strengthening health systems, advancing research and development, and championing local manufacturing for Kenya and across Africa,” Mudavadi said.
He added: “This partnership supports Kenya’s vision to become a regional hub for biomanufacturing and underscores the importance of strong international collaboration in improving preparedness, resilience, and equitable access to critical technology.”
Kenya became a State Party of IVI in May 2024. Besides the new Country Office in Kenya, IVI also operates its headquarters in Seoul, an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, and a Country Office in Austria.
The office will serve as the headquarters for IVI’s Advancing Vaccine End-to-End Capabilities (AVEC) initiative in Africa and will collaborate closely with local partners, including the Kenya BioVax Institute.
