President William Ruto held talks with International Vaccine Institute (IVI) Director-General Jerome Kim at State House Nairobi.
The President reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to continued collaboration in vaccine research and development, clinical trials, manufacturing partnerships, strengthening regulation and staff development.
The Institute is opening a new Country and Project Office in Kenya, marking a significant step in the organization’s efforts to advance vaccine research and development in Africa.
“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,”President Ruto said.
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.
The host country agreement establishing the IVI Kenya Country and AVEC Africa Project Office was signed by Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, and the IVI Chief in the presence of President Ruto.
The agreement formalises IVI’s presence in Kenya, reinforcing shared commitment to advancing vaccine research and development, translational and field research, product innovation, and capacity-building through workforce development and technology transfer.
“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”, the DG, Jerome Kim said.
Adding “Kenya has demonstrated strong leadership and vision in strengthening regional health security and biomanufacturing capabilities. Through our country office in Nairobi, we look forward to deepening collaboration with national health agencies, research partners, and industry to support African-led innovation and equitable access to vaccines.”
PCS 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.
“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 technologies,” he noted.
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.
