NEW DELHI, MAY 21 — India and the African Union have mutually agreed to postpone the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit, originally scheduled to take place in New Delhi from May 28 to 31, due to a severe Ebola outbreak in parts of the African continent.
The Ministry of External Affairs announced the decision Thursday following extensive diplomatic negotiations involving the Government of India, the Chairperson of the African Union, and the African Union Commission. Officials stated that moving the high-profile diplomatic conference to a later date became necessary to ensure the unrestricted participation of heads of state and regional stakeholders under safe public health conditions.
The postponement follows an emergency declaration by the World Health Organization, which designated the expanding viral outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
“Following these consultations, the two sides agreed that it would be advisable to convene the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit at a later date,” the Ministry of External Affairs noted in a joint bilateral release.
While the administrative statement did not establish a definitive revised timeline, the ministry noted that new dates for the primary summit and its preparatory ministerial meetings would be finalized through future consultations.
“The two sides exchanged views on the evolving health situation in parts of Africa and reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation in strengthening public health preparedness,” the official document stated, confirming that New Delhi remains committed to assisting the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
In tandem with the diplomatic deferral, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implemented rigorous entry controls at major national transport hubs. The Directorate General of Health Services issued a formal directive identifying South Sudan, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as high-risk sectors, requiring inbound passengers to undergo mandatory medical screening if they exhibit related symptoms within three weeks of arrival.
