Analysing the Impact of the AfCFTA on Pharmaceutical Access and Health Technology Policy in Mozambique: A 2021-2026 Outlook

This policy analysis examines the projected impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on pharmaceutical access and health technology policy in Mozambique from 2021 to 2026. It addresses the critical question of how this agreement can be harnessed to improve medicine security and technology transfer, while mitigating risks of market dominance by extra-continental firms. The methodology employs a qualitative desk review of AfCFTA legal texts, Mozambican policy documents, and regional industrial strategies, triangulated with a stakeholder analysis to evaluate implementation readiness. The central argument is that the AfCFTA’s potential to reduce medicine costs and foster regional production is contingent upon complementary national action. Key findings demonstrate that without robust, concurrent policies to strengthen local regulatory capacity, incentivise intra-African pharmaceutical investment, and safeguard public health flexibilities, the benefits will likely remain unrealised. The period to 2026 is identified as a crucial window for strategic policy alignment. This analysis contributes directly to regional public health discourse by underscoring that proactive, continentally-coordinated health technology governance is imperative to ensure the AfCFTA enhances medicine access and health system resilience in Mozambique and across Africa.