resources for a potential African Medicines Agency as part of their efforts to improve medical regulatory harmonisation. The same year saw the creation of 11 “Regional Centres of Regulatory Excellence”. The proposed agency was inspired by the European Medicines Agency. It is expected that the work of the AMRH will eventually come under the purview of the AMA. In 2016 the Model Law on Medical products Regulation was endorsed by the AU. This law serves as a model for national regulatory laws and facilitates harmonisation between countries, and is promoted by AMRH. An existing multi-country vaccine testing scheme, African Vaccines Regulatory Forum (AVAREF), is expected to expand under the AMA to cover other medicine and medical devices. The concept of an African Medicines Agency had unanimous support within the AU. The Treaty for the Establishment of the African Medicines Agency was adopted in February 2019 during the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union. This was done through decision Assembly/AU/Dec.735(XXXII), which reaffirmed decision EX.CL/1141(XXXIV) from the 34th Executive Council ordinary session. Countries can sign the treaty either at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa or in their own territory. It was written to enter into force 30 days after the 15th instrument of ratification and ascension was deposited with the AU. The AU's Specialised Technical Committee Meeting on Health, Population and Drug Control called for “urgent” ratification in August 2019, at which point only four out of the 15 necessary countries had ratified the treaties. Support also came from the AU Commission for Social Affairs. Dr. Margaret Agama-Anyetei, head of health, nutrition, and population at the African Union Commission, has stated that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for such a body, and hopes that quick ratification would allow the AMA to play a role in distributing relevant drugs and vaccines throughout Africa in the coming years. The Pan-African Parliament has also cited COVID-19 as an example of the need for the AMA. In June 2020, the "Africa Medical Supplies Platform" was established by the AU to help combat COVID-19. Structure The AMA is designed as a special agency of the African Union. Its aims will be to strengthen the capacity of AU countries to regulate medicines and related products, provide regulatory guidance, and harmonise medical regulation efforts across the continent. This harmonisation covers the actions of member states, the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities (RECs),