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The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. Mr Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, today welcomed the President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, to the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa for a high-level meeting focused on accelerating the Ebola response in the DRC and mobilising African support around the country.

The meeting, convened by Africa CDC in support of the DRC authorities, brought together the two Heads of State, Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya, and senior representatives of the World Health Organization, the World Bank, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other partners engaged in the response.

“The Government is closely monitoring the situation on a daily basis and is taking the necessary measures to protect our population, prevent the spread of the disease and preserve the health security of neighbouring countries,” said President Félix Tshisekedi. “This outbreak reminds us that health security is closely linked to peace and human security in areas affected by armed conflict. Insecurity weakens prevention, epidemiological surveillance and the capacity of public health actors to respond rapidly.”

President Tshisekedi stressed that the simultaneous outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda demonstrate the need for a coordinated regional response based on shared responsibility. He also welcomed South Africa's continued support and thanked international partners, including South Africa, Africa CDC, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the United States and China, for supporting the national response.

In his capacity as African Union Champion for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, President Ramaphosa brought a message of African solidarity and collective action in the face of an outbreak that requires speed, coordination and financing.

President Ramaphosa's visit also emphasized the importance of avoiding blanket travel restrictions and maintaining responsible engagement with the DRC while targeted public health measures are strengthened.

“Throughout many periods in our collective history, the resilience, courage and selflessness of our peoples have enabled us to weather even the most difficult of storms. We have no doubt that this crisis too shall be overcome. The people of Africa are one. Our bonds transcend borders, ethnicity and language. When there is tragedy in one part of our beloved continent, we all share in the sorrow. When a sister country needs assistance, we answer that call. The continental response to this Ebola outbreak has been swift. On the 16th of June, President Ndayishimiye of Burundi convened a virtual summit of African leaders and partners to deliberate on a global response. That meeting mobilised approximately US$1.5 billion in financing, technical support, medical countermeasures and humanitarian response. It is significant that of this amount, over US$100 million was pledged by African countries themselves. This reflects the spirit of solidarity and cooperation we continue to see in pursuit of African health sovereignty,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The political message of the meeting was strong: the DRC is leading the response, and the DRC is not alone.

The Minister of Health of the DRC presented the epidemiological situation and the immediate priorities of the national response. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs outlined urgent needs in affected areas. Partners provided updates on support already deployed, commitments under way and remaining gaps.

Africa CDC presented the status of continental coordination, including actions taken with neighbouring countries to strengthen regional preparedness, support points of entry, improve surveillance and reduce the risk of cross-border spread.

“The DRC is leading this response. Africa CDC stands with the DRC to support national decisions, strengthen regional coordination and move expertise, teams and resources faster to where they are needed,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. “President Ramaphosa's presence in Kinshasa sends a strong message of confidence: the DRC can safely host high-level engagement, coordinated support and responsible public health action. This outbreak requires speed, discipline and solidarity, not isolation. Africa protecting Africa is measured here: in how fast we act, how well we coordinate, and how firmly we stand with affected communities.”

The meeting also confirmed that significant resources have been committed. The Government of the DRC has committed US$50 million to the response. South Africa has committed US$13.5 million. The World Bank announced an additional US$10 million, building on its existing US$63 million commitment. The European Union, the United Kingdom and other partners also reaffirmed their support to the response.

The joint Africa CDC–WHO continental preparedness and response plan estimates Ebola and health response needs at US$518 million. Commitments announced exceed this amount, but only 21% of funds had been released according to data presented. The priority now is to turn commitments into rapid operational support for teams on the ground, affected communities, clinical trials, surveillance, laboratories, points of entry and regional preparedness.

“Ebola moves fast. Africa must move faster,” said Dr Kaseya. “The financing exists. The commitments exist. They must now reach the places where they save lives.”

At the close of the meeting, the two Heads of State called on partners to align their support with the priorities of the DRC, accelerate resource mobilisation and disbursement, and strengthen preparedness in neighbouring countries.

Africa CDC will continue working with the Government of the DRC, South Africa, WHO, the World Bank, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other partners to strengthen the response, support affected communities and protect the region.​

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Media contact: 
Africa CDC
Saran Koly
Director of Communications and Public Information
kolys@africacdc.org
+251 98 434 6488

Presidency of the DRC
​Presidency of South Africa

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About Africa CDC: 
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: http://www.AfricaCDC.org

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Seychelles this morning stepped onto the continental stage, as President Dr Patrick Herminie officially opened the 69th Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa (CAF) and its accompanying Thematic Conference on Strengthening Human Capital to Boost Africa's Tourism Growth, held at the Kempinski Resort Seychelles. Before an audience of African tourism leaders, the President set the tone for the two-day gathering with a clear message: the future of tourism on the continent rests not on infrastructure, but on its people.

In his keynote address, President Herminie described tourism as "above all, a people business" and reaffirmed that his government had placed people at the centre of its development agenda. He cited Seychelles' sustained investment in developing tourism talent, including the strengthening of the Seychelles Tourism Academy, the expansion of hospitality and tourism education, the introduction of tourism clubs in schools, and the creation of clear pathways for young people into the industry.

Building on this, the President turned to the continental picture, urging African nations to invest more deliberately in their people as the foundation of the sector's growth. He said the future of African tourism "will not be defined solely by the number of hotels we build or visitors we welcome" but by the people the sector empowers and called on the continent to position itself as one defined by excellence in tourism education, training and service.

UN Tourism Secretary-General, Ms Shaikha Al Nuwais, addressing the opening ceremony, said that connectivity brings opportunity, but that it is people who turn opportunity into growth, adding that this growth is strongest when it includes everyone. Her remarks echoed President Herminie's call to strengthen Seychelles air connectivity and source markets at a time of uncertainty in the Middle East.

Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mrs Amanda Bernstein, addressing the conference, said tourism was Seychelles' largest economic sector and among its biggest employers, with the industry currently employing roughly 10,800 people, of whom approximately 57 per cent are Seychellois and 43 per cent are foreign workers. She said this had informed the development of Seychelles' first-ever Tourism Human Resource Development Strategy for 2026 to 2029, built around five priority areas including workforce planning, education and training, localisation and career progression, leadership development, and strategic partnerships.

The Minister said localisation was not about replacing foreign workers, but about creating the conditions for more Seychellois to enter, remain and progress within the tourism industry, particularly into supervisory and leadership roles.

She encouraged fellow African ministers to place human capital development firmly on the continental agenda, stressing that investment in hotels, airports and tourism products would not achieve their full potential without a skilled workforce to deliver them.

The opening ceremony of the two-day conference was attended by Vice-President, Mr Sebastien Pillay, Speaker of the National Assembly Mrs Azarel Ernesta, Ministers and Deputy Ministers from across the Africa region. It has brought together delegates from 27 countries across the African region, including Angola, Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, among others, to discuss strategies for boosting human capital development in the tourism sector, a key pillar of the continent's economic growth.

The ceremony was a vibrant showcase of Seychellois Creole culture, brought to life through traditional song, dance and arts. Following the opening ceremony, President Herminie visited an exhibition of handicrafts by local Seychellois vendors.

Seychelles has been a member of UN Tourism since 1991, and having first hosted the CAF Meeting 20 years ago, this week's gathering marks the country's second time as host.

This year's CAF carries added significance as the first meeting convened under the leadership Ms Al Nuwais since she assumed office as Secretary-General of UN Tourism in January 2026, and her presence in Seychelles marks one of her first official engagements with the African region since taking up the post.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.