Cartagena, Colombia, November 6, 2025 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Government of Spain deepened their strategic collaboration through a series of new cooperation agreements concluded in Cartagena de Indias.

The agreements-established with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), a public body attached to Spain's Ministry of Health-aim to enhance regulatory capacity and expand equitable access to health services across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The signing of these memorandums of understanding reflects Spain's importance as a long-standing strategic partner of PAHO. "Spain is a prominent partner of PAHO," said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, recalling "Spain's generous contributions in the form of vaccine donations during the COVID-19 pandemic-the first to reach several countries in Latin America."

"This new momentum in our cooperation will strengthen regulatory capacity and broaden equitable access to essential health services," Dr. Barbosa added, expressing gratitude to the Government of Spain for its leadership and for organizing the event that provided the setting for the signing of the agreement with AEMPS.

Agreements with AECID

On November 5, in Cartagena de Indias, PAHO and AECID formalized the signing of two memorandums of understanding that reinforce cooperation between the two institutions to build more resilient and equitable health systems in the Americas.

One of the agreements establishes the first basic, voluntary contribution not tied to a specific project, allowing PAHO greater flexibility to respond to countries' health priorities in the region. Under this framework, AECID will contribute to the Communicable Disease Elimination Initiative, with a focus on strengthening access to health services for tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria in highly vulnerable populations.

The second agreement provides support for emergency services at Hospital de la Paix in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with the goal of strengthening the health service response, expanding medical care capacity, and improving access to services for people in vulnerable contexts.

Agreement with AEMPS to strengthen regulatory capacity

On November 6, during the high-level event Collaboration for Regulatory Harmonization and Health Self-Sufficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean, Dr. Barbosa signed a memorandum of understanding with AEMPS, represented by its Director, María Jesús Lamas Díaz.

The agreement seeks to strengthen the regulatory capacity of countries in the region and promote regulatory harmonization and convergence around the safe and rational use of medicines and health technologies.

"Bi-regional collaboration between Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean represents a unique opportunity to deepen global convergence, enable mutual recognition, and accelerate access to health innovations," Dr. Barbosa emphasized.

For her part, Lamas Díaz highlighted that "this signing marks a significant step forward in the shared commitment between PAHO and AEMPS. International cooperation is essential to address global public health challenges and to strengthen regulatory systems. The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products is a strong ally in building the region's regulatory capacity."

The memorandum provides for joint actions between the technical networks led by both institutions-the Network of Ibero-American Medicines Authorities (Red EAMI), coordinated by AEMPS, and the Pan American Network for Drug Regulatory Harmonization (PANDRH), coordinated by PAHO. These networks will play a key role in future joint initiatives.

The high-level event took place amid the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU), held this week in Colombia. The event was co-organized by Spain's Secretariat of State for Health, the CSAI Foundation, and AECID, with support from AECID's Training Center in Cartagena.

Cooperation between PAHO and Spain dates back to 1980, when Spain joined the Organization as an Observer State. Since then, this partnership has been strengthened through multiple initiatives in health system strengthening, human resources training, transplantation, regulatory capacity, and emergency response.