EU Horizon Europe: Strengthening Health Systems and Health Security in Sub-Saharan Africa through Institutional Capacity Building

The 'Strengthening Health Systems and Health Security in Sub-Saharan Africa through Institutional Capacity Building' call under Horizon Europe is a flagship initiative by the European Commission to address systemic weaknesses in public health infrastructure across the region. With a total indicative budget of €50 million, this call invites collaborative research and innovation actions that aim to enhance the resilience of health systems against emerging threats such as pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and climate-sensitive diseases. The call is explicit in its demand for a One Health approach, requiring integration of human, animal, and environmental health sectors. It also emphasizes the importance of digital transformation, gender equality, and community engagement. Projects should be designed with clear plans for sustainability and scaling, ensuring that capacity built outlasts the funding period. The commission expects consortia to demonstrate a robust understanding of local contexts, leveraging existing networks like the Africa CDC and regional economic communities. An important nuance is that activities must be implemented primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, with at least one partner based in the region. The call is part of the European Green Deal and the EU's Global Health Strategy, aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 17 (Partnerships). Applicants must be ready to navigate the new Horizon Europe rules, including the lump sum funding model, which requires precise cost estimations. GSLI, with its deep expertise in capacity building, recommends that consortia allocate resources for professional development early in the project design phase to ensure that staff can effectively manage complex activities. This overview provides a comprehensive lens through which to view the opportunity, highlighting its strategic alignment with global health priorities and the practical steps needed to submit a competitive proposal.

Strategic Overview

The 'Strengthening Health Systems and Health Security in Sub-Saharan Africa through Institutional Capacity Building' call under Horizon Europe is a flagship initiative by the European Commission to address systemic weaknesses in public health infrastructure across the region. With a total indicative budget of €50 million, this call invites collaborative research and innovation actions that aim to enhance the resilience of health systems against emerging threats such as pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and climate-sensitive diseases. The call is explicit in its demand for a One Health approach, requiring integration of human, animal, and environmental health sectors. It also emphasizes the importance of digital transformation, gender equality, and community engagement. Projects should be designed with clear plans for sustainability and scaling, ensuring that capacity built outlasts the funding period. The commission expects consortia to demonstrate a robust understanding of local contexts, leveraging existing networks like the Africa CDC and regional economic communities. An important nuance is that activities must be implemented primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, with at least one partner based in the region. The call is part of the European Green Deal and the EU's Global Health Strategy, aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 17 (Partnerships). Applicants must be ready to navigate the new Horizon Europe rules, including the lump sum funding model, which requires precise cost estimations. GSLI, with its deep expertise in capacity building, recommends that consortia allocate resources for professional development early in the project design phase to ensure that staff can effectively manage complex activities. This overview provides a comprehensive lens through which to view the opportunity, highlighting its strategic alignment with global health priorities and the practical steps needed to submit a competitive proposal.

Who is it For?

This call is designed for a diverse range of actors committed to strengthening health systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Eligible applicants include academic institutions, research hospitals, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, public health institutes, and private sector entities with expertise in health security and institutional capacity building. Crucially, the European Commission mandates that consortia must include at least three independent legal entities from three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries, and at least one legal entity established in a Sub-Saharan African country. This requirement ensures genuine partnership and local ownership. Furthermore, projects must demonstrate a clear focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular emphasis on least developed countries (LDCs) in the region. Applicants with prior experience in EU-funded health programs, such as Horizon 2020 or EDCTP, will have a competitive advantage. The call encourages interdisciplinary collaborations that integrate clinical expertise, public health, social sciences, data science, and governance. Ideal partners include those with proven track records in: (1) strengthening public health surveillance and laboratory systems; (2) developing and delivering training curricula for health workers; (3) deploying digital health technologies; (4) conducting implementation research; and (5) advocating for gender-transformative health policies. GSLI specializes in exactly these areas, offering accredited courses that can be embedded into project work plans to build local capacity and ensure sustainability.

Priorities

The European Commission's overarching priorities for this call are deeply aligned with the EU Global Health Strategy, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the African Union's New Public Health Order. Key investment KPIs include: (1) measurable improvement in the capacity of national and regional health institutions to manage health emergencies, as evidenced by enhanced surveillance systems, rapid response teams, and contingency plans; (2) strengthened health workforce competencies through accredited training programs, with a target of at least 30% female participation; (3) increased adoption of digital health tools for data collection, analysis, and decision-making; (4) establishment of multi-sectoral One Health platforms that coordinate human, animal, and environmental health sectors; (5) improved governance and accountability mechanisms, including financial management and procurement procedures compliant with international standards; (6) enhanced community engagement and health literacy, particularly among marginalized groups; and (7) documented policy influence, such as the adoption of evidence-based guidelines or new funding allocations for health security. The donor also emphasizes cross-cutting themes: gender equality, climate resilience, and innovation. Sustainable capacity building is central, meaning projects must avoid creating parallel structures and instead strengthen existing systems. Monitoring and evaluation frameworks should be participatory and include process, outcome, and impact indicators. GSLI's courses on Monitoring & Evaluation and Grants Management directly equip partners with skills to design and implement such robust M&E systems.

Eligibility

Comprehensive eligibility criteria for this call require meticulous attention to financial, spatial, and legal compliance. Financially, applicants must have stable and sufficient funding to cover their share of the project costs, with the EU funding up to 100% of eligible direct costs and a flat-rate 25% indirect costs. To be eligible, organizations must not be listed in the EU's financial exclusion databases (e.g., EDFS) and must have adequate administrative and financial capacity to manage EU grants. Spatial eligibility: the action must be implemented in Sub-Saharan African countries, with the majority of project activities taking place in the target region. Consortia must include partners from at least three different EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries and at least one partner from Sub-Saharan Africa. Legal eligibility: all applicants must be legal entities (public or private) established in an eligible country. Specific exclusions apply: entities from countries under EU sanctions may be ineligible. Additionally, applicants must confirm that they are not subject to a conflict of interest and have not been involved in misconduct. The minimum consortium size is five partners (three from EU and one from Sub-Saharan Africa, plus others). Compliance with the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement is mandatory, including adherence to the EU's ethical standards, gender equality plan requirement (for universities/research organizations), and open access policies for scientific publications and data. GSLI's training on Grants Management and Financial Management for NGOs can help organizations build the internal capacity required to meet these stringent eligibility criteria and audit requirements.

Path to Success

To maximize chances of securing Horizon Europe funding, organizations should follow a strategic roadmap integrating GSLI's capacity-building resources. Step 1: Form a Strong Consortium and Conduct Needs Assessment (Months 1-2). Identify lead partners and local stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa. Use GSLI's 'Public Health & Epidemiology' and 'WASH' courses to train local staff in conducting comprehensive needs assessments that align with donor priorities. The assessment should map existing health system gaps, infrastructure, and workforce competencies. Step 2: Co-Design a Logic Model and Theory of Change (Months 3-4). With GSLI's 'Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)' course, partners can develop a robust theory of change linking activities to outcomes. Include explicit indicators for health security capacity, such as the number of trained personnel, surveillance system uptime, and outbreak response times. Step 3: Develop a Detailed Work Plan and Budget (Months 5-6). Use GSLI's 'Project Management for Development' and 'Financial Management for NGOs' courses to ensure the work plan is realistic with clear milestones, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with EU financial rules. Budget should include training costs for using GSLI courses as part of capacity-building activities. Step 4: Draft and Submit Competitive Proposal (Months 7-8). Leverage GSLI's 'Writing Winning Proposals' course to craft a compelling narrative that emphasizes the consortium's expertise, local ownership, and sustainability. Include letters of intent from key local players. Throughout, ensure integration of cross-selling opportunities: offer bundled GSLI training packages to consortium partners to enhance their project management, M&E, and procurement capacity, thereby strengthening the overall proposal. Post-award, GSLI can provide certifications to project beneficiaries, adding value and ensuring skill retention. This roadmap not only aligns with donor expectations but also builds long-term institutional capacity.

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Deadline: 2026-09-30

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal