Leaders of the G7 group of countries have pledged fresh funding and a coordinated global response to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, as they assured fans of a safe FIFA World Cup in North America.
Meeting at the summit in Évian, France, the leaders said the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain had become a pressing health security concern after claiming 197 lives in the DRC and two in Uganda.
They said the outbreak required urgent international attention and backed a stronger, coordinated response involving G7 members and invited partner countries.
During the session, the leaders called for a strong, coordinated response to address the health security risks posed by the outbreak in the DRC and Uganda. This call was endorsed by the invited partner countries, including Kenya, Egypt, India and South Korea.
“We are resolved to providing and mobilising support for a coordinated global response to facilitate the development and effective delivery of dedicated vaccines, diagnostics and treatments to fight this outbreak over the coming months,” the leaders said in a joint statement.
The summit lauded the move by the US to deploy more than $370 million (Sh47.9 billion) in health and humanitarian resources for the region and announced that President Donald Trump’s administration had committed an additional $500 million (Sh64.7 billion) to Ebola response efforts.
Further, the US announced that it would spend $650 million (Sh84.1 billion) on humanitarian support for the Great Lakes region, while the European Union also announced that it would support the fight against the virus by injecting €493 million (Sh74 billion)
“The Continental Preparedness and Response Plan is mobilising $518 million (Sh67 billion) to support African countries in preparing for, rapidly detecting and responding to, the outbreak. We call on other countries and partners beyond the G7 to dedicate resources to tackling this global threat through the means they deem most appropriate.”
The leaders also affirmed support for the humanitarian reset led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and its plan to reach 87 million people with lifesaving aid in 2026, declaring that the G7 members had provided over two thirds of the funding raised this year.
With the ongoing FIFA World Cup tournament taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the leaders have assured the millions of supporters and the 48 national participating teams that their safety has been considered.
“We must ensure that they can do so safely. To that end, while respecting national prerogatives, we are committed to strengthening the coordination between our national authorities and working towards coherence on appropriate and effective travel, quarantine, and isolation procedures for individuals who have been in the affected regions, in line with the highest international public health and safety standards.”
However, it was noted that efforts to contain the spread of the virus could be hampered by the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, prompting a call on all parties to honour their commitments and fully implement the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity and the Doha Framework.
“We call on relevant response actors to improve coordination and avoid duplication to ensure the fastest and most effective response to this crisis. In this context, we encourage alignment with the plans and needs identified by the United Nations.
