Application Deadline: April 2nd, 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 AVoHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program. The AVoHC was conceived as a continental mechanism to rapidly deploy skilled African public health professionals in support of Member States during health emergencies and other priority public health interventions, strengthening Africa’s collective capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats in a timely and coordinated manner.
The Kofi Annan Scholars Program (PHSP) deploys experienced African public health professionals, including experts from the African Diaspora, into time-bound, results-oriented placements within Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes, and other strategic national or continental health institutions. These deployments are designed to provide high-level technical assistance, strengthen systems, support institutional transformation, and deliver clearly defined outputs aligned with Africa CDC priorities.
Recognizing the African Diaspora as the sixth region of the African Union since 2012, the Scholars Program also serves as a structured mechanism to harness diaspora expertise in support of Africa’s health security, institutional resilience, and sustainable financing for health.
Within this framework, Africa CDC seeks to establish a roster of qualified Strategy Development Expert under the AVoHC mechanism as part of the Kofi Annan Scholars Program. Inclusion in the roster does not constitute recruitment into a staff position; rather, it enables paid, time-bound professional deployments based on programmatic needs, availability of funding, and agreed deliverables. Scholars engaged through this mechanism receive remuneration and benefits in accordance with applicable AU rules, regulations, and enumeration guidelines, reflecting the seniority, expertise, and outputs expected from the assignment.
Specific Responsibilities
- Conduct situational analyses and capability mapping to inform national or institutional strategic direction.
- Identify policy, operational, and resource gaps in public health systems and propose appropriate solutions.
- Lead or contribute to the drafting of national or institutional strategies aligned with AU and country-specific priorities.
- Facilitate strategic planning consultations and co-creation workshops with relevant stakeholders.
- Develop strategic frameworks, roadmaps, implementation tools, and monitoring mechanisms.
- Produce high-quality technical documents, policy briefs, and planning guidance.
- Support countries in resource mobilization, partner coordination, and integration of strategic initiatives.
- Contribute to the design of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems to track progress and impact.
Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience
- Master’s or Doctoral degree in Public Health, Health Policy, Health Systems Management, Strategic Planning, or a related field.
- At least 7 years of experience in strategic planning, national policy development, or institutional reform in the public health sector.
- Demonstrated experience in leading or contributing to strategy development processes is required.
- Strong understanding of health systems and policy environments across Africa.
- Proven ability to develop and implement national strategic frameworks or plans.
- Experience working with Ministries of Health, NPHIs, development partners, and civil society.
- Familiarity with Africa CDC’s initiatives and AU strategic documents (e.g., Agenda 2063) is an advantage.
- Excellent strategic writing and policy communication skills.
Required Skills
Functional Skills
- Advanced skills in policy analysis, strategic planning, and institutional development.
- Ability to translate technical insights into actionable strategy documents.
- Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Proficiency in managing multi-stakeholder processes.
Personal Abilities
- High resilience and adaptability in dynamic or resource-constrained settings.
- Strong emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity.
- Capacity to work independently while maintaining effective team collaboration.
- Commitment to service, integrity, and impact.
Language Requirement:
- Proficiency in at least one AU working language (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili).
- Knowledge of two or more additional AU working languages is an added advantage.
Notes
The Team Members will be deployed on on-call basis, based on the need. The Africa CDC will determine the duration of deployment in consultation with member state authorities.
TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:
The Kofi Annan Scholars – AVoHC Team Members will be deployed on an on-call basis, based on request from member states. The Africa CDC will determine the duration of deployment in consultation with member state authorities.
Benefits
- Stipend provided for the duration of deployment.
- All travel, accommodation, and deployment-related expenses covered by Africa CDC.
- Opportunity to work on high-impact assignments with government and regulatory authorities across Africa.
REMUNERATION:
This is a call for AVoHC membership. Successful applicants are not entitled to any monetary incentives during membership. However, during the assignment, deployed experts will have rights to the following:
- Economic class round-trip tickets and other travel related expenses;
- Health insurance during the deployment period;
- Stipend , communications, Incidentals and Risk allowance;
- Accommodation allowance in case of deployment outside of the city of residence;
- Certificate of recognition of your contribution at the end of deployment;
- Advantages of becoming an AVoHC member.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the AVoHC Kofi Annan Scholars Program
