Expanding into the Medical Device Markets in Africa

Ethiopia, with a population of 120 million, stands as Africa's second-most populous nation after Nigeria, and has received an invitation to become a member of BRICS. Given its complete reliance on imports for medical devices and 85% for pharmaceuticals, the country presents immense opportunities for investment and cooperation in healthcare products.

To facilitate Chinese medical device enterprises' entry into Ethiopia and broader African markets, Mr. Edward Yang, Chairman of Victwo, accompanied Professor Wang Minghui, Director-General of NMPA Research Base of Regulatory Science for Medical Devices, Director of APEC Medical Devices Regulatory Science Center of Excellence, and Dean of SCU Institute of Regulatory Science for Medical Devices, in a visit to the Embassy of Ethiopia in Beijing on May 14th. They were warmly received by H.E. Ambassador Tefera Derbew, with Ethiopian Counselor Solomon Mekonnen, Ambassador's Secretary Susan, and Victwo's External Relations Manager Julie in attendance.

Professor Wang briefly outlined the roles of the NMPA Research Base of Regulatory Science for Medical Devices and the APEC Medical Devices Regulatory Science Center of Excellence, and expressed his desire for the embassy's facilitation in connecting with Ethiopian medical device authorities, commerce departments, and hospitals, as well as receiving a delegation of Chinese medical device companies on a prospective investment exploration mission, which Professor Wang said would help stimulate bilateral trade and investment collaboration in the medical device sector between China and Ethiopia and benefit the people of both nations. He further envisaged Chinese medical device companies leveraging Ethiopia as a gateway to broaden cooperation with other African nations in the medical device sector.

Ambassador Tefera Derbew welcomed the prospect of a Chinese medical device investment delegation led by Professor Wang and Mr. Yang. He outlined the landscape and investment needs of Ethiopia's healthcare industry, and committed to coordinate with pertinent government agencies, commerce entities, specialized parks, and hospitals to ensure a productive visit, so that visiting Chinese companies would gain a deeper understanding of the Ethiopian market, foster trade and investment ties with Ethiopian counterparts, and leverage Ethiopia as a platform for engagement with additional African markets. Moreover, Ambassador Tefera Derbew encouraged NMPA Research Base of Regulatory Science for Medical Devices to team up with Ethiopian authorities in cultivating local regulatory talent, drafting local regulatory frameworks for medical devices, and enhancing synergies between medical device regulatory agencies on both sides.