An official source from Egypt said that the African Union's Mid-Year Coordination Summit, scheduled for the end of June, is being considered for postponement due to the spread of the Ebola outbreak in some African countries.
The same source noted that the Egyptian administration is reassessing plans for the summit and simultaneous events in coordination with the African Union. In this context, the El Alamein-Africa Business Forum may also undergo a schedule change.
The African Union Commission was preparing to hold the summit on June 27. The meeting aims to bring together the African Union and regional economic communities to accelerate economic integration across the continent.
The Egyptian government was also planning to host the inaugural El Alamein-Africa Forum from June 25 to 27. The forum was expected to include state representatives from various African countries, private sector leaders, and entrepreneurs.
According to Egyptian sources, a postponement announcement is expected until the health situation regarding the spread of Ebola becomes clearer. The summit and related events are anticipated to be rescheduled for later in the year.
The World Health Organization had raised concerns about the spread of Ebola following case increases in Central Africa. The organization upgraded the risk assessment for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda from high to very high, and Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the regional risk remains high.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also warned that without strict control measures, the current outbreak could reach a scale similar to the major epidemic in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, which claimed over 11,000 lives.
Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously announced the El Alamein-Africa Forum as a permanent African business platform to be held biennially in the country. This year's opening meeting was planned to bring together more than 20 heads of state and government, senior representatives of international and regional financial institutions, and prominent figures from the African business community.
