KEMRI Positioned as Key Vaccine R&D Partner as IVI Concludes Global Health Leadership Week in Seoul

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) concluded a highly impactful week of global health leadership meetings, bringing together its Board of Trustees, Global Council, and Global Advisory Group of Experts to shape the future of vaccine innovation, access, and preparedness. Central to these strategic deliberations was Kenya’s premier biomedical research institution, KEMRI, represented by its Acting Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok, who represented Kenya during the week-long engagements.

Prof. Songok’s participation marked a significant milestone in advancing KEMRI’s global partnerships in vaccine research and development. Speaking at the IVI headquarters in Seoul, he thanked IVI for its bold move to establish a project office in Nairobi, Kenya — a development he said would catalyze collaboration with KEMRI toward sustainable vaccine manufacturing on the African continent.

“KEMRI is well-positioned to support IVI’s goals in Africa,” stated Prof. Songok and added, “we have a highly trained research workforce, world-class clinical trials infrastructure, and robust laboratory capacity. This makes us a natural partner in accelerating vaccine R&D and strengthening Africa’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities.”

Prof. Songok also underscored KEMRI’s readiness to contribute to workforce development, adding that the KEMRI Graduate School is prepared to collaborate with IVI in training the next generation of vaccine scientists and manufacturing experts.

The IVI meetings, held over the course of several days, brought together leading experts and decision-makers to address global health challenges, including declining global health funding, pandemic preparedness, and the need for stronger multilateral collaborations. The inclusion of KEMRI in these high-level discussions signals growing international recognition of the Institute’s scientific and operational excellence.

During the conference, Prof. Songok met with Dr. Nicaise Ndembi, the newly appointed Head of IVI Africa. The two leaders held in-depth discussions on operationalizing IVI’s vision for the continent, culminating in an invitation for Dr. Ndembi and his team to visit KEMRI.

“Dr. Ndembi expressed deep appreciation for KEMRI’s scientific contributions and affirmed IVI’s commitment to work closely with us to realize a shared vision for Africa’s vaccine independence,” Prof. Songok noted.

The week’s proceedings included a joint session of IVI’s Board of Trustees and Global Council, strategic planning by the Global Advisory Group of Experts (GAGE), and a field visit to advanced vaccine manufacturing facilities in Andong, Korea. Participants, including global health leaders from public, private, and multilateral sectors, exchanged insights and developed frameworks to mitigate funding disruptions and promote innovation in vaccine R&D.

Dr. Jerome Kim, IVI Director General, praised the collaborative spirit of the meetings and reiterated the importance of partnerships like that with the Kenyan Government through KEMRI in delivering on IVI’s global mission. “This week has underscored the urgency of strengthening vaccine ecosystems worldwide, and Africa must be at the center of that transformation,” said Dr. Kim.

The involvement of KEMRI — under the stewardship of Prof. Songok — highlighted not only Kenya’s growing influence in global health but also the critical role of African institutions in shaping equitable solutions to global vaccine challenges. As IVI looks ahead to its next fiveyear strategy, KEMRI is poised to be a central partner in advancing vaccine science and manufacturing capacity across the continent.

Additional Information from the IVI Website.