New Delhi, May 21: The upcoming Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit, which was scheduled to take place in New Delhi next week, has been postponed due to the Ebola outbreak in Africa, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The diplomatic gathering was deferred following detailed deliberations between Indian authorities, the Chairperson of the African Union and the African Union Commission to evaluate the feasibility of hosting the summit and related events under the current circumstances.
India and African Union review health situation
According to an official communiqué issued by the MEA, the Government of India and the African Union exchanged views on the evolving health situation in parts of Africa and reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation in strengthening public health preparedness and response capacities across the continent, including through support to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and relevant national institutions.
In light of the unfolding health emergency, New Delhi reiterated its support for African countries and their administrations.
India also expressed its readiness to provide material and strategic assistance to operations led by the Africa CDC, while ensuring that all actions remain aligned with the shared commitment to an Africa-led response.
Fresh summit dates yet to be finalised
The scheduling of fresh timelines for the summit and related meetings remains under review.
The MEA stated that new dates for the summit and associated meetings will be finalised through mutual consultations and communicated in due course.
Underscoring the longstanding ties between India and African nations despite the postponement, the statement said, “India and Africa reaffirmed their longstanding partnership founded on solidarity, mutual respect, South-South cooperation, and a shared commitment to peace, development, prosperity, and the well-being of their peoples.”
WHO monitoring Ebola situation closely
The development comes amid renewed global concern over Ebola following the World Health Organisation’s decision to designate the escalating crisis across Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Health experts have noted that Ebola manifests through multiple viral strains, each differing in severity, transmission rate and response to medical intervention.
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The current outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo variant, a less common strain of the virus that has historically appeared less frequently than the Zaire strain, which caused the major West African epidemic between 2014 and 2016.
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