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REPUBLIQUE GABONAISE UNION-TRAVAIL-JUSTICE

CONTRIBUTION DU GABON

Runion de Haut Niveau sur la lutte

contre le Virus Ebola

New York le 25 Septembre 2014

My Fellow Presidents,

8/11/2019 Allocution du Prsident de la Rpublique gabonaise, Ali BONGO ONDIMBA - Runion du haut-niveau sur Ebola du 2

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Mr. Secretary General,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Gabon has been deeply touched by Ebola in the past. We first

learned of this terrible disease in 1976, when the virus emerged in

nearby DRC. The disease, spread by close personal contact, was the

first recognition of Ebola virus disease, then known as Ebola

haemorrhagic fever.

Several more outbreaks occurred in nearby countries before weexperienced an outbreak of our own in 1994, deep in the rain forests

of Mkouka and ain in a number of gold-mining camps in the NE of

Gabon. More outbreaks followed: one in early 1996 in the Mayibout

area, and another during 1996-1997 in the Boou area, with transport

of patients to Libreville. From 2001 to 2005, multiple outbreaks

ravaged Gabon, and our close neighbour Republic of Congo. In eachcase we were able to trace the primary cases to people who had

consumed apes that had been infected by the disease. Indeed, whilst

the human victims can be counted in the tens in Gabon, we lost an

estimated 15,000 gorillas to the disease over a period of 10 years.

Tragically, thousands of West Africans have already died from this

disease; countless children have been orphaned; and the economiesof West Africa will be impacted for generations to come. Incredibly,

this may be only the beginning of the wreckage caused by the current

Ebola epidemic.

By next week, public health experts predict there will be about 8,000

reported cases of Ebola in West Africa, and the crisis likely goes

much deeper.

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Since many cases go unreported, Im toldthere could be as many as

21,000 cases by next week. And if the world does not act right now,

experts say that by mid-january 2015, there could be over 1 million

cases of Ebola.

The good news is that public health authorities know what to do to

control and curtail the Ebola epidemic. And Gabon can help. As the

World Health Organizations regional reference laboratory for

Central Africa, our International Medical Research Center

Franceville, CIRMF, with Central Africa's only bio-safety level 4

laboratories, is uniquely positioned to receive clinical samples from

neighbouring countries. CIRMF, under the direction of one of the

world's experts on Ebola, Dr. Eric LEROY, has an excellent track

record diagnosing Ebola.

In fact, scientists at CIRMF were the first to determine that a recent

second outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Boende, Democratic

Republic of Congo, was caused by a strain of Ebola virus distinctfrom

that currently spreading throughout Guinea, Sierra Leone, and

Liberia. This timely result calmed escalating fears that the Ebola

epidemic in West Africa had spread undetected over large distances.

As the current epidemic continues - and with it the possibility of

expansion to neighbouring countries - Africa and the rest of the

world will continue to rely on CIRMF as a world-class regional

diagnostic reference center.

The people of Gabon understand that with tragedy, comes

responsibility. Because of our first-hand experience with Ebola,

Gabon is uniquely positioned to help assist with the current Ebola

epidemic that is devastating West Africa as I speak here today. I am

proud of what Gabon has accomplished so far, but we would like todo even more.

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If additional resources become available, CIRMF can assist the

mobile field laboratories in West Africa by providing expert staff.

In addition, the CIRMF, located in Franceville, is supported by an

international airport that could easily serve as a staging ground forsupplies, equipment and personnel from the United States and

elsewhere that are engaged in the international response to this

humanitarian crisis.

This outbreak is forcing the international community to rethink our

strategy to the testing of prototype drugs and vaccines. Given our

experience in CIRMF, and in the Schweitzer Hospital in Lambarn,which has been involved in testing vaccines against malaria, Gabon is

uniquely placed to work with the international community to fast

track trials in Africa.

The people of Gabon understand the fear and suffering that comes

with this terrible disease. Our hearts go out to our African neighbours

who are experiencing its devastation right now.

Gabon stands ready to help; however we can.

Thank you.