India on Thursday postponed the long-delayed 4th India-Africa Summit, which was scheduled to be held from May 28 to 31, due to the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Although the outbreak has not yet been classified as a global pandemic, the risk posed by the virus prompted the World Health Organization to declare it a health emergency of international concern earlier this week.
Joint Decision Taken After Consultations
India and African representatives announced the postponement in a joint press release, citing concerns over the evolving public health situation across the continent.
This marks the second time an Ebola outbreak has disrupted the summit. The previous India-Africa Summit, originally scheduled for December 2014, was also delayed and eventually held 10 months later because of similar concerns.
“Recognising the importance of ensuring full participation and engagement of African leaders and stakeholders, and mindful of the emerging public health situation on the continent, consultations were held between Government of India, Chairperson of the African Union, and the African Union Commission regarding holding of the summit and associated activities,” the statement said.
It added that both sides agreed it would be “advisable to convene the summit at a later date.”
Fresh Dates To Be Announced Later
The government said new dates for the summit would be decided through mutual consultations and communicated in due course.
The summit was expected to feature major announcements from India aimed at expanding development assistance for African nations, including enhanced concessional credit lines and cooperation initiatives.
During the last summit hosted in 2015, India had announced a $10 billion concessional line of credit for African countries.
India Reaffirms Support For Africa
In the joint statement, India reiterated its solidarity with African nations and expressed readiness to support Africa-led efforts to tackle the Ebola crisis.
The statement said India stands prepared to contribute to initiatives led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in line with the shared commitment to an Africa-led response to the evolving health emergency.
