Algeria nears WHO certification for pharmaceutical exports, addressing 82% of reservations
via Algérie3603 min read
Algeria has addressed 82% of the World Health Organization's WHO reservations regarding its pharmaceutical industry, moving closer to achieving NM3 certification. This international standard is crucial for opening foreign markets to locally manufactured medicines. Minister Ouacim Kouidri announced this progress, highlighting the country's efforts over a year of reforms, field missions, and intensive self-assessment workshops. The final WHO evaluation is scheduled for September 2026. This certification is part of Algeria's strategy to export pharmaceuticals to Africa, leveraging its position as home to over 30% of the continent's pharmaceutical factories. The NM3 standard, the third level of the WHO's maturity reference system, formally recognizes a country's ability to independently guarantee the quality and safety of medicines produced within its borders. Achieving this will enhance the credibility of Algerian-made medicines in foreign markets, simplify registration processes with importing countries' regulatory agencies, accelerate the integration of Algerian products into export channels, and solidify the country's role as a pharmaceutical leader in Africa. Minister Kouidri emphasized that obtaining NM3 will directly facilitate the entry of Algerian medicines into the African market, contributing to the continent's economic and health complementarity.
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