14 October 2014
States called on to scale up efforts and financial commitments to fight Ebola
Senior UN officials warned that the virus is ‘far ahead’ of the global response as it is morphing from a local to an international crisis requiring all countries to scale up efforts and financial commitments to bring an end to the scourge.
Anthony Banbury, head of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), warned that the crisis caused by the outbreak is severe and unprecedented, saying that UNMEER could not fight the battle alone; its contribution would need to be supported by an array of national and international partners. He called for a broad global coalition to battle the spread of the virus, saying: ‘The world must now act to help the people and governments of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia’.
Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said that ‘[n]o country, no organization can tackle Ebola alone’, adding that the crisis requires collective mobilisation inside and outside the affected countries. He appealed to member states to act generously and swiftly.
Much more needs to be done, starting with UN member states redoubling their efforts and following through on their financial pledges. Given the unprecedented nature of the epidemic, the international community must work together to come up with innovative solutions to contain the further spread of Ebola, according to the UN General Assembly President Sam Kutesa.
Source: UN News Centre | 'We are late, but not too late to fight and win this battle,' against Ebola – UN