Ebola outbreak forces India, African Union to delay summit

A planned summit between India and the African Union has been postponed after a deadly Ebola outbreak emerged in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The India–Africa Forum Summit was due to take place in New Delhi between May 28 and 31 before both sides agreed to reschedule the gathering over public health concerns.

India’s foreign ministry said the decision was taken in view of the worsening health situation on the African continent.

“Mindful of the emerging public health situation on the continent… the two sides agreed that it would be advisable to convene the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit at a later date,” the ministry said.

New Delhi also pledged support for ongoing response efforts coordinated by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

India said it was ready “to contribute to Africa CDC-led efforts aimed at addressing the evolving health situation”.

The World Health Organization warned on Wednesday that the Ebola outbreak represents a high regional risk in central Africa, although it said the threat remains low globally.

Health officials believe the virus may have been circulating for months before authorities officially declared the outbreak in eastern DR Congo last Friday.

Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people across Africa in the past five decades.

The latest outbreak, the 17th recorded in DR Congo, is suspected to have caused about 139 deaths from nearly 600 probable infections.

Authorities at New Delhi’s international airport have also issued health advisories for travellers arriving from DR Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.

India stressed the need for continued collaboration to improve public health preparedness and emergency response capacity across Africa, adding that new dates for the summit would be announced later.

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