Brussels, 17/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 March, the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels confirmed the EU's “firm commitment” to ending the Ebola epidemic (reaching zero cases of infection) and to continuing its emergency and longer-term aid for the recovery of the economies of the three countries most affected in West Africa - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The EU will do this as part of its coordinated response to the epidemic, in accordance with the African priorities and in close cooperation with the United Nations.
In its unanimous conclusions, the Council endorses the statement of the African co-presidents of the international conference on Ebola (From Emergency to Recovery) that the EU hosted in Brussels on 3 March (see EUROPE 11266 and 11265). The three countries' governments had called for a real international Marshall Plan to support their regional plan (Getting Down to and Staying at Zero) and to rebuilding their economies.
The Council underlines the importance of rapidly plugging the immediate $400 million funding deficit (out of $5.1 billion in donation pledges from the international community). It asks the European Commission and EU member states swiftly to disburse what remains of the €1.3 billion that they have committed (thus making the EU the biggest donor).
The meetings on Ebola during the spring meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (16-18 April), the WHO Executive Board and the UN General Assembly in May, and the meeting of the African Union in June will enable follow-up to be made on the Brussels conference.
The Council stipulates that the aid from the EU and its member states for the economic recovery of the devastated countries in West Africa will be used for the reconstruction of sustainable health services and social services. It calls on the European External Action Service (EEAS) and European Commission to explore the means for increasing the European response in order to avoid such a tragedy re-occurring in the future. The Council underlines the importance of the commitments taken by the African co-presidents to improving the governance, transparency and accountability of the national and local systems for ensuring the provision of universal public services, especially in the areas of health and education - with particular attention for the women and young girls heavily affected by this crisis. (Aminata Niang)