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Mugabe back from New York, US

by Staff reporter
12 Jul 2015 at 18:52hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe, who is the African Union (AU) and SADC Chairman, has returned home after leading the continent to a successful high level International Ebola Conference that raised more than US$1 billion in pledges to be channelled towards the rebuilding and strengthening the economies of the three West African countries whose economies were impacted negatively by the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

Mugabe arrived today and was met at the Harare International Airport by the two vice presidents; Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekhezela Mphoko, cabinet ministers Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, Dr Ignatius Chombo, Kembo Mohadi, Prisca Mupfumira, Chris Mutsvangwa, Monica Mutsvangwa, Mirriam Chikukwa, service chiefs and senior government officials.

His delegation to the Ebola conference comprised of the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe, cabinet ministers Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Dr David Parirenyatwa and Patrick Chinamasa, Presidential Spokesperson Mr George Charamba and senior government officials.

Mugabe who was invited in his capacity as the leader of the continental body the AU, addressed the opening session of the Ebola conference where he commended Africa's efforts in taking a leadership role in addressing its own challenges.

He urged United Nations (UN) member states to fully support the implementation of the post-Ebola recovery plans drawn up by the governments of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The AU through various challenges managed to raise more than US$32 million and deployed more than 800 health and other supporting services personnel to Ebola affected countries during the peak of the outbreak.

UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, who convened the conference, paid tribute to the AU and the demonstration of regional unity which saw Ebola cases declining.

The post-Ebola recovery plans presented to the international community as well as monetary institutions which attended the conference were supported by pledges, totalling more than US$1 billion.

Liberia's president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf indicated that the projected growth of the three countries that fall under the Mano River Union declined because of the outbreak.

She said Guinea's projected growth declined from 4,5% to 1,3%, Sierra Leone from 11,3 to 6% and Liberia's growth declined from 5,9 to 0,4 %.  

Following the successful holding of the Ebola conference by the UN, the AU will convene another international conference on Ebola in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea from the 20th to the 21st this month.

The 2014 Ebola outbreak is the first to reach epidemic proportions, as previous outbreaks were brought under control within weeks.  

The conference was also attended by the President of the General Assembly, Mr Sam Pahamba Kutesa, heads of state and government of the affected countries, UNDP Chairperson and Administrator Ms Helen Clark, representatives of international partners and monetary authorities, among others.

Source - zbc