In the conclusions adopted on Friday 19 June at the end of the European Council, the Heads of State or Government of the European Union expressed concern over the spread of the Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
However, the European leaders welcomed the rapid release of emergency funding by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international and European partners, a mobilisation that is said to have enabled an immediate response involving epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, clinical preparedness, and the strengthening of laboratory capacities.
Moreover, in order to support the work of the WHO, while also backing the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the other main stakeholders responsible for coordinating and implementing containment and emergency response measures, the European Council recalls that the EU has activated financial and logistical assistance, as in previous outbreaks.
The Member States also call on the Council of the EU and the European Commission to monitor developments in the situation and to define and coordinate the corresponding operational priorities.
It is noted that the latest health crises, notably the one linked to hantavirus, have demonstrated the importance of strong global health governance and coordinated responses, particularly within the WHO framework. The leaders also recalled the contribution of EU coordination instruments and once again confirmed their support for the WHO’s mandate for the prevention of, preparedness for, and response to global health emergencies.
Link to the conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/mgw (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)