Communique: The 570th AUPSC meeting on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the three most affected countries in West Africa, namely, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone

pAFRICAN UNION

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PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 570™ MEETING

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

21 DECEMBER 2015

PSC/PR/COMM. (DLXX)

COMMUNIQUE

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 570^th meeting held on 21 January 2016, adopted the following decision on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the three most affected countries in West Africa, namely, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone:

Council

1. Takes note of the comprehensive Final Exit Report of the African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) and the Evaluation Report of the African Union's Response to the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in West Africa, submitted by the Commission to Council. Council also received statements from the representative of Senegal, in its capacity as the current Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as from the representatives of France, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the European Union and the United Nations;

2. Recalls all its earlier pronouncements on the EVD, in particular, Press Statement PSC/PR/BR. (DLXV) adopted at its 565^th meeting held on 17 December 2015;

3. Commends the Commission of the African Union, in particular, the Department of Social Affairs, for the leadership role it demonstrated in the successful fight against the EVD, as well as in the current post-EVD socio-economic recovery efforts in the most affected countries, through the African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA). In particular, Council commends the ASEOWA health care volunteers who risked their precious lives in order to save other lives. In this regard, Council requests the Commission to recognize the efforts of all those who participated in the fight against Ebola under ASEOWA, including the staff from the AU Commission;

4. Congratulates the authorities and people of the three most affected countries, in West Africa, for successfully controlling the EVD. Council commends them for their ongoing post-EVD socio-economic recovery efforts and urges them to persevere. In this regard, Council reiterates the need for these countries to adopt a very comprehensive approach that effectively addresses the wider social, psycho-social, economic and political consequences of the EVD outbreak, including the need to invest more in strengthening the health systems in order to build the necessary resilience against future public health threats;

5. Underscores the imperative need for the Commission to continue to closely monitor the post-EVD situation in the three most affected countries, in spite of them having been already declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO). In this regard, Council urges the three most affected countries to continue to remain extra-vigilant vis-a-vis the risk of new EVD outbreaks and cases of relapses, as well as to maintain effective surveillance mechanisms, including cross-border surveillance;

6. Stresses the importance of expediting the establishment of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). In this regard, Council welcomes the ongoing efforts being deployed by the Commission to this end. Council also welcomes the ongoing efforts to establish the African Health Volunteer Corps;

7. Underscores the need, in view of Africa's prevention efforts, for the WHO to expedite the certification process for the Ebola vaccine production;

8. Expresses deep appreciation to all AU Member States which extended support of various forms to the three most affected countries and urges them to maintain this spirit of pan-African solidarity, which will be instrumental in effectively addressing similar future epidemics and other complex emergences. Council also expresses deep appreciation to the African private sector for the generous assistance it extended to the three countries most affected by the EVD. Council further expresses its deep appreciation to the AU partners, as well as to the wider international community for their continued support in the fight against the EVD and urges them to continue to extend their support towards the post-EVD socio­economic recovery efforts of the three most affected countries;

9. Endorses all the recommendations contained in the two reports submitted to the Council by the Commission. In this regard, Council requests the Commission to take necessary follow-up action and to provide regular updates to the Council on the implementation of these recommendations;

10. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.