The planned India–Africa Forum Summit has been postponed following renewed concerns over a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials have confirmed.
The high-level meeting, originally scheduled to hold in New Delhi from May 28 to 31, was put on hold after consultations between India and the African Union over rising public health risks linked to the outbreak.
An official from India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the decision was taken in response to the situation on the continent.
“In view of the evolving public health situation in Africa, both parties agreed it was prudent to defer the summit to a later date,” the ministry stated.
The government also reaffirmed its readiness to support continental health efforts led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), especially in containing the outbreak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that while the global risk remains relatively low, the regional threat in Central Africa is significant.
“The risk in affected areas is high, though global spread remains limited at this stage,” WHO officials noted, adding that the virus may have been circulating for months before detection.
Health authorities in the DRC have reported that the current outbreak—believed to be the country’s 17th—has already resulted in about 139 deaths from an estimated 600 suspected cases.
In response, Indian aviation authorities have introduced enhanced screening measures for travellers arriving from affected countries, including the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Officials from both India and African partners say new dates for the summit will be announced once the health situation stabilises, while stressing the importance of continued cooperation in strengthening disease surveillance and emergency response systems across Africa.
