India-Africa Forum Summit Postponed Over Ebola Outbreak Concerns

The India and African Union (AU) have jointly decided to postpone the India-Africa Forum Summit , which was scheduled to be held in New Delhi from May 28 to 31 , the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

While the MEA initially did not specify a reason, subsequent confirmations and international reports indicate that the decision has been taken due to an emerging public health situation in Africa , specifically an Ebola outbreak in parts of the continent.

Officials and diplomatic sources said the move was made as a precautionary health measure to ensure the safety of delegates and leaders and to allow full participation without risk.

According to reports, the outbreak is concentrated in Democratic Republic of Congo , where health authorities are dealing with a rapidly evolving situation involving hundreds of suspected cases, strained medical infrastructure, and displacement challenges . The World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged the situation as serious, noting the risk of further spread and the difficulties in containment in conflict-affected regions.

A joint understanding between India and the African Union reportedly emphasized the need for ensuring safe and inclusive participation of all member states before convening the summit.

India has clarified that there are no Ebola cases reported in the country , but authorities have strengthened health screening and surveillance measures at airports and entry points as a precautionary response.

The MEA has stated that the summit will now be rescheduled through mutual consultations between India and African Union member states. However, no new dates have been announced yet , and discussions on the revised timeline are ongoing.