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In a boost to the recovery of Ebola-affected countries, the international community has pledged to donate more than US $5 billion to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The initiative was taken at the International Ebola Recovery Conference in New York on July 10. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inaugurated the meet.
“Together, let us jumpstart a robust recovery process over the next two years, and usher in a better future for generations to come,” he said while inaugurating the high-level meeting, which was attended by the presidents of the three countries and the chairperson of the African Union.
Helen Clark, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), who chaired the conference, said, “The preliminary figure for funds amount to US $3.4 billion, taking the total resources pledged for the recovery of the Ebola-affected countries to around US $5 billion. The whole spirit of optimism around the conference and the willingness of partners to see this as a long-term endeavour are hugely encouraging,” she told the audience.
David Nabarro, the Secretary-General’s special envoy on Ebola, called it a “promising moment”. “The amount pledged represents a tremendous springboard for recovery. Everyone today has stressed that the partnership we have for the response to the outbreak must be sustained over the period of recovery. The world is going to stand by these countries as they recover and help them get back on the track of equitable economic and social development,” a UNDP press release quotes Nabarro.
The two-day conference was organised in partnership with the African Union, European Union, World Bank and African Development Bank.