N°: 204/2014
6 NOVEMBER 2014 [Accra, Ghana]
1.With a view to strengthening the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa, the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States held an Extraordinary Session in Accra, Republic of Ghana on 6 November 2014, under the chairmanship of E. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and current ECOWAS Chairman.
2.The following Heads of State and Government or their duly mandated representatives attended the Summit:
- H. E. Mr. Thomas Boni YAYI, President of the Republic of Benin
- H. E. Mr. Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
- H.E. Mr. John Dramani MAHAMA, President of the Republic of Ghana
- H.E. Mr. José Mario VAZ, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau
- H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, President of the Republic of Mali
- H. E. Mr. Mahamadou ISSOUFOU, President of the Republic of Niger
- H. E. Mr. Macky SALL, President of the Republic of Senegal
- H.E. Mr. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Togolese Republic
- H.E Architect Mohammed SAMBO, (GCON), Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
- H.E Maria Cristina Lopes Almeida Fontes LIMA, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Republic of Cabo Verde
- H.E Abdoulie JOBE, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Republic of The Gambia
- H.E Emmanuel DOLO, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Board on EBOLA Office of the Republic of Liberia
- H. E. Samura M. W. KAMARA, Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Republic of Sierra Leone
- H.E Clemence Traore SOME, Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Ghana
- H.E Arafan Kabine KABA, Ambassador Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Guinea to Ghana and Togo
3.The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa, the Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Representative of the President of the UEMOA Commission, as well as the Representative of Bilateral and Multilateral Partners, Technical Partners and International Organisations attended the Summit as observers.
4.Authority took note of the memorandum of the President of the ECOWAS Commission on the Ebola Virus Disease. It also took note of the reports of the representatives of the Heads of State and Government of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, on the evolution of the disease in their respective countries. Authority further took note of the contributions of Partners namely United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response , World Health Organisation, European Union, African Union, United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Holland, China, Norway and Cuba.
5.The Summit was deeply concerned by the negative impact of the Ebola Virus Disease on the economies of the countries directly affected, human security as well as the social and humanitarian situation in the region. It equally expressed concern regarding the threat to the regional integration process as well as regional peace and security posed by this epidemic.
6.The Authority expressed strong feelings at the loss of thousands of lives since the outbreak of the epidemic and reiterated solidarity and sympathy with the people of the affected countries, in particular Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Mali.
7.The Heads of State and Government reaffirmed their firm commitment to continue their joint and coordinated efforts in the determined fight against the Ebola Virus Disease. To that end, they commended the appropriate actions undertaken by Nigeria and Senegal, which enabled these two Member States to contain the epidemic. While also encouraging the other affected countries in their efforts to contain the epidemic, they expressed their hope that these countries will achieve the same success.
8.In the same vein, with a view to ensuring the efficiency of all the efforts, the Authority appointed E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe President of the Togolese Republic to supervise the Ebola Virus Disease response and eradication process.
9.Furthermore, after endorsing the Regional Integrated Operational Plan for Response to the Ebola Virus Disease and welcoming the relevance of the areas of intervention contained therein, the Heads of State and Government made the following specific decisions:
To the Member States
10.The Heads of State and Government call on all the Member States to urgently develop and implement guidelines on Ebola treatment and management in line with WHO standards. They also urge them to join ICAO and seek assistance from the ICAO/WHO Cooperation Arrangement for the Prevention of the Spread of Communicable Diseases through Air Travel (CAPSCA).
11.In addition, Authority urges the Member States to contribute military personnel and logistics to enhance response capacities, support the medical staff on the field and participate in the construction of additional treatment and isolation centres as well as ensure their security. It also encourages Member States to provide additional medical and voluntary staff to the affected countries.
12.The Summit commends the Member States that made contributions to the Regional Solidarity Fund to fight Ebola mainly Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone and urges the other countries to fulfill their commitment to the Fund.
13.The Heads of State and Government reiterate their unwavering commitment to the principles of free movement within the ECOWAS region and invite all the Member States to adhere to them, in particular by removing restriction and ban on the movement of persons and goods to and from the affected countries, while observing the appropriate health control at the borders.
14.The Authority urges the Member States to conduct extensive public education, communication and awareness on the Ebola Virus Disease with a view to preventing the stigmatisation of affected persons and stopping the transmission of the disease.
15.To better address sanitary crisis in the future, the Heads of State and Government consider that it is essential to ensure the strengthening of national health systems by improving upon their effectiveness and also by increasing the resources allocated them in the national budgets in accordance with the Abuja Declaration, which requires the allocation of 15% of the total budget.
To the ECOWAS Commission
16.The Heads of State and Government reiterate the need to strengthen the regional multi-sectoral coordination in the fight against the epidemic and underpin the important role of ECOWAS in that regard.
17.To that end, the Authority requests the Commission to take the necessary measures, in collaboration with of all the stakeholders and persons involved in the field, to mobilise adequate resources for the coordinated implementation of the Regional Operational Plan for Response to the Ebola Virus Disease.
18.The Authority directs the Commission to actively participate in the various actions undertaken to support the efforts of the Member States particularly in the planning, implementation and coordination of all United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) and African Union activities in the region. The Authority also instructs the Commission to create a consultation framework with the Mission for a short, medium and long-term response.
19.The Summit directs the Commission to support Member States to better coordinate their medical and humanitarian efforts on the field.
20.The Authority instructs the Commission to take all the necessary actions to set up a regional center for disease prevention and control in West Africa and enhance health research in West Africa. It also encourages the Commission to be involved in the ongoing initiatives towards the development of vaccines.
21.Authority requests the Commission to deepen the socio-economic and cultural assessment of the epidemic and take all necessary steps to provide the appropriate medium and long term response through a resolute action against poverty and ignorance, for sustainable growth and development.
22.To the International Community, the Heads of State and Government welcome the adoption of the United Nations Resolution 2177, which marks its unanimous determination to eradicate the Ebola Virus Disease.
23.In that regard, the Authority commends the show of international solidarity in support to the efforts of the affected countries. In particular, it welcomes the technical and financial support from all the ECOWAS bilateral and multilateral partners on the field.
24.In view of the continuing and increasing challenges of the Ebola Virus Disease, the Summit calls on all the partners to maintain the level of their commitment and support to the region, in particular by increasing their financial assistance to the affected Member States.
25.Similarly, the Summit invites private sector, civil society, regional and international humanitarian and development organizations to intensify efforts in technical, financial and institutional assistance to support treatment centers and other regular medical facilities in the affected countries, as well as public education, awareness and communication.
26.The Authority also invites all the relevant Partners to accelerate efforts for vaccines and adequate therapy against the virus as well as support the region in the development of research capacity. In addition, Authority calls on them to prioritise the provision of vaccines at subsidized prices to the affected countries, and to the region.
27.The Heads of State and Government call on all the airlines and maritime companies to continue flight schedules to the affected countries or resume operations notably to transport health and humanitarian goods, drugs and equipment. They also call on partner countries to lift the restrictions on visa issuance to nationals of affected countries.
28.The Authority decides to remain seized of the situation of the epidemic in West Africa and directs the President of the Commission to ensure the implementation of adopted decisions and regularly provide updates on the epidemic.
29.The Heads of State and Government express profound gratitude to E. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and current ECOWAS Chairman, the Government and people of Ghana for the warm hospitality extended to them as well as for the excellent facilities placed at their disposal to ensure the success of their Summit.
Done at Accra, this 6th day of November 2014
THE AUTHORITY