The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) have signed a memorandum of understanding with the goal of collaborating in the field of international development cooperation for health on topics of mutual interest.
The four-year agreement, which builds upon the institutions’ earlier collaboration, was signed at the AECID headquarters in Madrid on 16 October 2023 by the Director of AECID, Antón Leis, the Executive Director of DNDi, Dr Luis Pizarro, and the International Development Director of DNDi, Eric Stobbaerts.
DNDi and AECID share a commitment to strengthen research and development (R&D) for innovation and access to new health tools for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and other infectious diseases affecting vulnerable populations, contributing to 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Target 3.3, and to support the achievement of Universal Health Coverage, including access to quality essential healthcare services and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines for all, Target 3.8 of the SDGs.
Both institutions also aim to strengthen R&D for innovation and access to new health tools for pandemic-prone and climate-sensitive infectious diseases, contributing to global health objectives for pandemic preparedness and adaptation to climate change.
The scope of the agreement reflects both institutions’ goal to strengthen health innovation ecosystems in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to public health and social and economic development, including in Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and Asia.
The Memorandum of Understanding aims to advance a proactive agenda for maternal and child health and gender-responsive R&D and a more inclusive, sustainable, and access-oriented R&D system, involving alternative R&D models and open science.
About the institutions
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a not-for-profit medical research organization that discovers, develops, and delivers safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected people. DNDi is developing medicines for sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, river blindness, mycetoma, dengue, paediatric HIV, advanced HIV disease, cryptococcal meningitis, and hepatitis C. Its research priorities include children’s health, gender equity and gender-responsive R&D, and diseases impacted by climate change. Since its creation in 2003, DNDi has joined with public and private partners across the globe to deliver twelve new treatments, saving millions of lives. Collaborations with Carlos III Institute, Fundación la Caixa, Fundación Medina, Fundación Mundo Sano Espana, ISGlobal, MSF-Spain, the Royal Academy of Medicine of Spain, and many other Spanish partners and supporters play an essential role in accomplishing its mission. dndi.org
AECID’s mission is to promote the full exercise of development, conceived as a fundamental human right, with the fight against poverty being part of the process of building this right. It has established health as one of its cooperation sectors, in alignment with the country’s global health strategy and with the Agency’s Director Plan for Spanish Cooperation in development. aecid.es
Media contact
In Madrid
Terín Beca
tbeca@extern.dndi.org
In Geneva
Frédéric Ojardias
+44 79 431 62 16
fojardias@dndi.org
In Rio (DNDi Latin America office)
Marcela Dobarro
+55 21 9 81149429
mdobarro@dndi.org
Photo credit: Ana Ferreira-DNDi
