Assembly/AU/Dec.624(XXVIII) Page 1 DECISION ON UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO IMMUNIZATION AS A CORNERSTONE FOR HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA Doc. EX.CL/1002(XXX)Add.1 The Assembly, 1. TAKES NOTE of the proposal by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on “Universal Access to Immunization as a Cornerstone for Health and Development in Africa”; 2. RECOGNIZES that as the continent with the youngest population of any region globally, developing the right policies and investments in health for youth including investments in immunization, will position Africa to benefit from new opportunities that emerge from a demographic dividend; 3. RECALLS that Article 14 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child stipulates that every child shall have the right to enjoy the best attainable state of physical, mental and spiritual health; 4. ACKNOWLEDGES that harnessing the demographic dividend through broadbased inclusive economic growth in Africa is dependent on a healthy population; and that strong immunization programmes are a cornerstone of robust health systems that help to achieve universal health coverage which is critical for Africa to achieve the economic and development goals set by Agenda 2063; 5. RECOGNIZES that the economic imperative and benefits of reducing vaccinepreventable diseases and consequential deaths will improve overall health, empower our future generation and allow every person to achieve his or her full potential; 6. REAFFIRMSits commitment to implement the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan in Africa (PMPA) that will promote and invest in regional capacity for the development and production of vaccines; 7. ENDORSES the Ministerial Declaration on Universal Access to Immunization as a Cornerstone for Health and Development in Africa; 8. CALLS UPON Member States to support the implementation of the Declaration to ensure and facilitate universal access to immunization by allocating adequate domestic resources and securing new investments to strengthen national immunization programmes as well as mount strong advocacy campaigns to achieve the Global Vaccine Action Plan goals and overall health care delivery systems; 9. FURTHER CALLS UPON Member States in partnership with all relevant stakeholders, to negotiate with vaccine manufacturers to ensure and facilitate access to vaccines at affordable prices while increasing price transparency; 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, 30 - 31 January 2017, Addis Ababa