ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 26, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
When: 31 January 2015
Where: Multi- purpose hall, African Union commission
Time: 13:00 -15:00.
Who: The Luncheon will be convened by the African Union Commission and hosted by the AUC, Chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The Luncheon will be attended by:
Heads of State and Government
Senior government officials
Business personalities, companies and partners that contributed to the African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA)
Representatives of ASEOWA Health workers, among others
Why: The efforts of health workers, the African private sector and others have been recognised across the world, and this will be an opportunity for the African Union to celebrate and acknowledge the role of a range of stakeholders in mobilising solidarity to defeat this epidemic. A total of 855 African health workers were deployed to the three most affected countries by the African Union through its AEOWA mission.
The specific objectives of the consultation are to:
Recognise the roles played by different stakeholders, including the governments and people of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone; AU Member states who made financial and other contributions, and seconded health workers; the ASEOWA health workers who risked their lives and contributed towards turning the trajectory of the disease; the private sector who contributed financially and otherwise to the Ebola efforts, especially the up-scaling of ASEOWA deployment; AU partners who contributed in kind and to the financing of ASEOWA; and the international community for their solidarity in the fight against Ebola.
Celebrate the collective victory against the Ebola virus epidemic, the lessons learnt and the formal end of the ASEOWA mandate, as Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone move towards maintaining zero infections and containment.
Highlight the importance of the African Centre for Disease Control, and on-going strengthening of public health as critical to the goal of Agenda 2063 of investing in the African people, and reaching the SDGs on health.
Background: The African and international response to the crisis has been instrumental in turning the tide against Ebola, showing the power of solidarity and cooperation. In addition, the African response has been critical, from financial contributions from African governments, private sector and partners, to the call to service by the health workers and their governments, and the decisions and monitoring by the Peace and Security Council.
Media personnel are invited to cover this important event on 31 January 2015, in the multi-purpose hall of the African Union Commission.
