Algiers — TANZANIA and Algeria have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, including investment, technology transfer and the exchange of advanced expertise in drug production.

The discussions took place in Algiers when Tanzania's Ambassador to Algeria, Mobhare Matinyi, held talks with Algeria's Minister of Pharmaceutical Industry, Dr Wassim Kouidri.

The talks focused on identifying areas of cooperation that could enable Tanzania to expand its capacity to manufacture medicines and medical devices, with the aim of meeting domestic demand and serving markets across the African region.

Ambassador Matinyi said Tanzania has introduced special incentives to attract investors into the pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing sector, with five pharmaceutical plants currently under construction.

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He said the government is committed to positioning Tanzania as a manufacturing hub for medicines and medical devices serving countries across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, a market with a population of approximately 350 million people.

"The government is committed to making Tanzania a hub for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing in the Eastern, Central and Southern African region, which has a population of approximately 350 million people," Ambassador Matinyi said.

For his part, Minister Kouidri pledged Algeria's cooperation in helping Tanzania access advanced expertise and technologies used in the manufacture of medicines and medical devices.

In a related development, Ambassador Matinyi invited Algeria's National Agency of Pharmaceutical Products (ANPP) to visit Tanzania in October 2026. The visit is being organised at the invitation of the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) and is expected to focus on areas of technical cooperation.

The visit will particularly explore cooperation in the regulation and oversight of medicines and medical devices.

Tanzania already plays an important role in pharmaceutical regulatory systems in Africa. In 2018, Tanzania became the first African country to attain Maturity Level 3 (ML3) under the World Health Organization's (WHO) regulatory systems assessment, reflecting the capacity of its national medicines regulatory system.

Algeria, meanwhile, is among Africa's leading producers of medicines and medical devices, with approximately 230 manufacturing plants, accounting for nearly one-third of such facilities on the continent.

The growing cooperation between Tanzania and Algeria is expected to create opportunities for investment, technology transfer and skills development, while strengthening Africa's capacity to produce essential medicines and medical devices within the continent.