South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives in Kinshasa for au Ebola solidarity mission

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, this Thursday, July 2nd, for an official solidarity visit. He undertakes this crucial mission in his capacity as the African Union’s Champion for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response (PPPR). This high-level delegation’s presence comes as the DRC grapples with its 17th resurgence of the Ebola epidemic.

Prior to his arrival, reports indicated that President Ramaphosa, accompanied by South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Thandi Moraka, was scheduled to meet with his Congolese counterpart, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi. The objective of this meeting is to affirm the African Union’s collective support for the government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo in confronting the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

A primary goal of this visit is to enhance the coordination of the continent’s response to this critical health emergency. The mission aims to provide high-level political guidance, strengthening a unified African response to the Ebola epidemic. It also seeks to solidify regional collaboration, bolster cross-border preparedness, and secure political, technical, and financial commitments from African Union member states and their international partners.

The African Union emphasizes that these concerted efforts are vital not only for containing the current outbreak but also for sustainably bolstering public health systems across Africa, thereby improving the continent’s resilience against future health crises.

As the African Union’s Champion for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response, President Ramaphosa’s role is to provide political leadership and oversight for the Ebola response. This also includes fostering solidarity with affected nations and supporting frontline responders.

To date, African Union member states have pledged over 100 million dollars to the African Epidemics Fund. Globally, financial commitments dedicated to combating Ebola have now surpassed 910 million US dollars. South Africa, for its part, has declared a contribution of 13.5 million US dollars.

On May 17th, merely two days after the official declaration of the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain and subsequently spreading to Uganda, as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The WHO indicated that the epidemic has expanded geographically, and its true scope might be underestimated. The situation is further compounded by high population mobility, vulnerable health systems, inadequate health infrastructure, challenges in accessing conflict-affected areas, and the lack of a specific vaccine or treatment for this particular viral strain.

Despite this concerning backdrop, Congolese authorities maintain a reassuring stance, dismissing any alarmist rhetoric. They highlight robust efforts undertaken in collaboration with national and international partners to contain the epidemic. Furthermore, they underscore the nation’s extensive experience in managing health crises, noting that the Democratic Republic of Congo has successfully confronted sixteen prior Ebola epidemics, each brought under control through significant response operations.