South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday called on Western governments to refrain from imposing blanket travel and trade restrictions on African countries affected by Ebola, warning that such measures lack scientific basis, damage economies and complicate containment efforts.
Speaking at the opening of the 46th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in Durban, Ramaphosa called on “governments to avoid indiscriminate restrictions on travel and trade against affected countries.
“Such restrictions are not supported by public-health evidence. They damage economies, disrupt livelihoods and may drive movement through unmonitored border crossings, thereby making containment more difficult,” said the South African leader who is the incoming chairperson of the 16-member SADC grouping.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has been battling a deadly Ebola outbreak since April, is a member of SADC.
Ramaphosa’s comments came as the United States and other Western countries have imposed restrictions on people travelling from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan or intending to travel to these countries.
The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has already claimed more than 2,300 lives, with nearly 5,000 confirmed cases in DRC alone.
Ramaphosa commended Congolese health workers and communities for their courage but stressed that the epidemic continues to outpace response efforts.
Ramaphosa urged respect for health facilities and humanitarian operations, called for a ceasefire in conflict‑affected areas to allow access for responders, and pressed for financial pledges to be translated into resources on the ground.
“We must also ensure that financial pledges are translated urgently into resources on the ground.”
He noted that protecting Africa from epidemics “required more than responding when outbreaks occur.”
“It requires sustained investment in prevention, surveillance, resilient health systems, research and the African production of vaccines, diagnostics and medicines,” he said.
JN/APA