The AMA is the latest step in efforts by the AU and regional African bodies to improve medical capacity in the continent.

Once it is created, it is expected that the AMA will supervise and absorb roles currently carried out by other bodies, such as regional harmonisation efforts and pan-AU creations such as the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative and the African Vaccines Regulatory Forum (AVAREF).

[2] The proposed African Medicines Agency (AMA) is a continuation of existing medical regulatory harmonisation efforts in the continent.

[8] Porous borders make it easy for such products to move within the continent, and there is significant variation in the quality of current medical regulation between countries in the African Union (AU).

[9] While every country except the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has a National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs), many are unable to carry out many expected essential functions.

[13] The AU's Specialised Technical Committee Meeting on Health, Population and Drug Control called for “urgent” ratification in August 2019, at which point only four out of the 15 necessary countries had ratified the treaties.

[11] Dr. Margaret Agama-Anyetei, head of health, nutrition, and population at the African Union Commission, has stated that the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for such a body, and hopes that quick ratification would allow the AMA to play a role in distributing relevant drugs and vaccines throughout Africa in the coming years.

[8] The AMA will build upon closer regional integration,[10][5] which has already served to reduce drug prices and the time needed for regulatory approval.

[10] Regional regulatory harmonisation within the East African Community, developed under the AMRH, was based on a free trade agreement within that grouping.