France Plans to Increase Funding for Ebola Fight in Democratic Republic of Congo

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said during a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Saturday that his country would increase its support for efforts to eradicate the Ebola virus in the African nation, warning of the risk of a rapid resurgence if surveillance levels decline.

Barrot made a rare visit to the city of Bunia in northeastern Congo, where a laboratory-confirmed case of monkeypox was detected in mid-September.

France allocated 13.4 million euros ($15.1 million) to combat Ebola between January and July.

Barrot said he would propose additional humanitarian funding to fight the virus during upcoming discussions on the French budget.

France’s response has taken the form of humanitarian aid, medical research, and the PRISM program, launched during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit in 2023.

A national humanitarian conference on Ebola is scheduled to be held in Paris on October 6.

Speaking to journalists in Bunia, Barrot said, “Ebola may seem unlikely to some people or political leaders, but it can return very quickly. Our responsibility is to prevent that.”

Barrot praised the efforts of the Congolese authorities, United Nations organizations, humanitarian groups, and medical workers in containing the epidemic and preventing its spread to major urban centers in Congo and beyond.

Responding to a question about the possibility of the epidemic spreading after a case was reported in France, Barrot said, “There is no need to fear or worry. Above all, we must fight the epidemic wherever it appears.”