Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 18 November 2019- On 2 December 2019, H.E Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) will host the Africa Against Ebola: A Private Sector and Partners forum at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The main objective of the forum is to mobilize the necessary financial and material support for the Ebola crisis in the DRC and the surrounding region.

The expected outcome of this forum is to have sufficient financial and in-kind support to intensify efforts for Ebola mitigation in the DRC and prevent its spread in the surrounding region.

Participants to the forum will include: the AU Commission (Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, All Commissioners and Directors), Heads of States, the African Private Sectors and Philanthropies, Development Partners, Donors, Diplomatic missions and UN agencies.

Background
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is witnessing the second largest world Ebola
Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, which started more than a year ago. As of November 10, the current EVD has killed over 2,193 individuals with over 3,287 recorded cases. 1067 people recovered.

Like other partners, the African Union, through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), has been supporting the efforts of the government of the DRC from the beginning of the outbreak. Given the health, economic, and security threat that this deadly disease poses to the continent, the Africa Union is calling for mobilization of all Africans and friends of Africa to show increased solidarity with communities affected and those at highest risk.

African leadership, ownership, and solutions are highly needed to address this crisis. As such, the African Union will:

• Mobilize African health workers who have vast experiences from the AU support mission to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA). Currently, more than 500 volunteers from different disciplines: doctors, nurses, epidemiologist, laboratory experts, and infection prevention experts have shown interest to support this efforts.
• Mobilize up to 600 local health workers and community volunteers to reach out the most remote corners of affected health areas and zones, to address the critical challenges of community engagement and ownership.
• Build local capacities and diagnostic capabilities by procuring and placing of laboratory facilities, and border screening machines and infection prevention and control supplies.
• Strengthen preparedness measures and capacities of most at risk neighbouring countries.
• Strengthen the local health systems including placing of surveillance platform, diagnostic capacities for early detection, rapid response and containment of future outbreaks at the source.

All these need additional financial and in kind resources. In 2014, the Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust Fund was a game changer in bringing an end to EVD in West Africa that accounted for about 11,000 deaths, by investing in the continent’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies through the deployment of African Health Workers.

Details of how to contribute are available on www.au.int/africa.