Launched in 2015 and renewed in 2021, this partnership is entering into its third phase based on shared ethical values, in compliance with the Research for Sustainable Development Partnership Charter, and as part of the French Global Health Strategy.
Since 2015, this cooperation has made it possible to carry out 12 joint research projects, to co-finance 14 research grants, and to work together to organize training on key themes (tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV, and antimicrobial resistance) in sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, and Latin America. This new agreement was drawn up based on a capitalization study conducted in summer 2025, which confirmed the desire of all those involved to strengthen their cooperation.
This new framework agreement aims to take the partnership to a new level, with stronger governance and greater valorization of joint results, based on a central, unifying theme of reinforcing local research capacity.
In scientific terms, the cooperation targets the fight against infectious diseases (tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, and respiratory infections) and the strengthening of health security (the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance, the management of emerging diseases such as Ebola and coronavirus, and the fight against zoonoses), as part of a One Health approach.
The agreement fosters exchanges between networks: RESAOLAB and GABRIEL for the Mérieux Foundation, and LMI and IRN for the IRD. It also supports training (joint financing of research grants, exchange programs for staff and students, and scientific events), as well as innovation, in particular the valorization of research results.
This collaboration has resulted in projects such as the Mekong Hepatitis Symposium, an international symposium on viral hepatitis. More recently, the Target project, led jointly by the IRD and the Mérieux Foundation and funded by the ANRS-MIE, the launch of which is scheduled in 2026, targets the external validation of transcriptome biomarkers in pediatric tuberculosis.
A steering committee has been set up to implement this roadmap and will meet twice a year to conduct strategic follow-up, assess the results, and define the annual programming. A capitalization study will be carried out one year before the end of the agreement to assess the quality of the results and determine joint goals for the future.
