Goal is $100 million to fight Ebola! Countdown begins to first ever African Union/private sector partnership on November 8, Addis Ababa

DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION  

Press Release Nº XXX/2014  

Goal is $100 million to fight Ebola!

Countdown begins to first ever African Union/private sector partnership on November 8, Addis Ababa  

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 4 November 2014: The African Union (AU), by partnering with Africa’s private sector with the launch of the ‘Business-to-Rescue Fund’ this weekend in Addis Ababa, is hoping to raise $100 million dollars for the fight against Ebola.  

This will be a massive injection of capital in the medical capacity and efficiency in combating the Ebola pandemic in West Africa. “The meeting this weekend will be the launch pad of what we anticipate will be an all-out war on Ebola, as well as the reconstruction of the economies of the countries affected,” says head of the AU Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.   Africa’s highest profile business leaders have confirmed their attendance.

They include Aliko Dangote Dangote of Group Nigeria, Strive Masiyiwa of Econet Wireless Global, Tony Elumelo, CEO of United Bank for Africa, and Patrice Motsepe of ARM South Africa.   Also confirmed are, Kola Karim, MD and CEO of Shoreline Energy International and Shoreline Power Company Limited, Jim Ovia, Founder of the Zenith Bank Group, Mohammed Dewji Group CEO of Mohammed Enterprises, Bob Collymore CEO of Safaricom, Sifiso Dabengwa Group CEO of MTN Africa, Ashish Thakar Founder and Managing Director of Mara Group, Sim Tshabalala Group CEO of the Standard Bank Group and Yusuf Manji, Chairman and CEO of Quality Group to mention a few.  

The Business-to-Rescue Fund will also enjoy a global following, thanks to a live, digital website that will monitor the donations from both companies and citizens as they come in. Viewers will be able to see video clips of the medical teams at work in disease stricken regions, and how their money is being invested.  

To date, through its AU Support to the Outbreak of Ebola in West Africa (ASEOWA) mission, the AU has deployed over a hundred volunteer medical and health workers to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the three affected countries. Among them are epidemiologists, medical doctors, clinicians, public health specialists and communications personnel. These teams have enhanced the capacity of existing national and international response mechanisms.  

Following Dr. Dlamini Zuma’s call to all African Heads of State to contribute more health workers towards these efforts, about 2800 medical personnel have been pledged.  Contributions to the Business-to-Rescue Fund will support the continued deployment of these volunteers.  

“There is much more work to be done, and we welcome the willingness already shown by big businesses on the Continent in helping to restore normality to the regions affected, where Ebola has had a major socio-economic impact. The pride of the African continent lies in our commitment to help other Africans. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unprecedented, and our co-ordinated responses to the crisis are therefore urgent. We need to continue to provide financial assistance to these regions, to be able to track and contain the disease, provide treatment to those who are sick, and restore normality to these communities.” says Dr. Dlamini Zuma.  

For further information, visit http://pages.au.int/ebola Media Contact: Jacob Enoh Eben, Spokesperson of the Chairperson, Cell: +251934996893; Dees Harilal or Vanessa Perumal - JT Communication Solutions +27 11 788 7632/ 083 268 1446 /083 268 1446 – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

About the African Union The African Union spearheads Africa’s development and integration in close collaboration with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and African citizens. AU Vision: to accelerate progress towards and integrated, prosperous and inclusive Africa, at peace with itself, playing a dynamic role in the continental and global arena, effectively driven by an accountable, efficient and responsive Commission. Learn more at: http://www.au.int/en/  

For media queries, interview requests, access to high res pics etc please contact JT Comms on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (011) 788 7631/2  

Issued by JT Communication Solutions on Behalf of African Union - http://www.au.int