The Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) has
stepped into the incidence of Ebola epidemic in some regional states and is
currently co-operating with member states and international partners to stem
the spread of the Ebola virus.
The disease has so far claimed more than 720 lives from over
1,000 cases reported in the region.
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| President Alassane Quattara |
Speaking on the intervention, the President of the ECOWAS
Commission, Kadré Desire Ouédraogo, stated that the commission considered the
outbreak as a regional security threat.
He disclosed that under the directive by Heads of State and
Government to the Commission and the West African Health Organisation, (WAHO),
an Ebola Solidarity Fund has been set up to ensure that all affected countries
are supported to rid the region of the disease.
The president of the body, who spoke while accrediting the
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gu Xiaojie to ECOWAS, during a short
ceremony at the Commission’s Abuja headquarters, recalled that most of the
casualties from the disease in the region had been reported in Guinea, Sierra
Leone and Liberia with Nigeria recording one death.
The ECOWAS chief informed the Ambassador that the leaders of
Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and World Health Organization (WHO), senior
officials were due to meet in Conakry, Guinea, during the weekend as part of
efforts to develop a comprehensive strategy and mechanism to eradicate the
disease.
Speaking after presenting his Letters of Credence to
President Ouédraogo, Ambassador Xiaojie, expressed China’s sympathy and
solidarity with ECOWAS and the affected member states, and pledged his
country’s support in combating the outbreak.
Salaudeen Hashim
West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF)
Nigeria Platform
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