France to step up Ebola funding in Congo amid resurgence fears

PARIS: France will step up its support for efforts to eradicate Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Saturday during a visit to a region hit by the virus, warning that it could quickly resurge if vigilance waned.

Barrot made rare trip by a Western leader to the northeastern Congolese city of Bunia, where a laboratory-confirmed case of mpox was identified in mid-September.

France allocated €13.4 million ($15.1 million) to the fight against Ebola between January and July.

Barrot said he would propose additional humanitarian funding for Ebola during upcoming French budget discussions.

France’s response came through humanitarian aid, medical research and the PRISM programme launched during President Emmanuel Macron’s 2023 visit.

A national humanitarian conference is to be held in Paris on October 6, during which Ebola is to be discussed.

“Ebola may seem far away to some people or political leaders, but it can return very quickly. Our responsibility is to prevent those resurgences,” Barrot told reporters in Bunia.

Barrot praised Congolese authorities, UN agencies, humanitarian organisations and medical workers for containing the epidemic and preventing it from spreading to major urban centres in Congo and beyond.

“There is no need to fear or worry. First and foremost, we must fight the epidemic where it emerges,” Barrot said when asked whether it could spread after a case was reported in France.