AU Ebola support

Speaking in Monrovia, Mohamed Ould Abdul Aziz, President of Mauritania and chairperson of the African Union, praised the government and people of Liberia for their efforts in fighting Ebola, and pledged that the AU would continue to stand by the country as it worked to defeat the deadly haemorrhagic fever .

Aziz spoke of an "heroic fight" by Liberia and the "unyielding determination" of its government and people as they sought to overcome the disease. "You can also count on the support of the African Union and my personal support," Aziz promised in the Liberian capital on Monday (05.01.2014).

'Suffered many losses'

Aziz acknowledged the severe toll that Ebola had taken on the three worst affected countries - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. "The countries [have] suffered many losses and I would like to seize this opportunity to express my heartfelt condolences," he said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday that the number of Ebola deaths had risen to more 8,000 and the number of people who had been infected was approaching 21,000. Almost all cases and fatalities were recorded in West Africa.

In welcoming remarks addressed to the AU chairperson, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf noted the support that the AU was giving her country in its efforts to eradicate the disease.

"As a result, we now have 30 African health workers working with us on Ebola and we have received financial assistance mobilized by the African Union," she said.

Aziz arrived in Liberia from Guinea. He was the second high ranking AU official to visit Ebola-hit Liberia. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, chairperson of the AU Commission, made a trip to the country in October 2014.

In late December 2014, Ethiopian prime minister and Aziz's predecessor as AU chairperson Hailemariam Desalegn said African nations needed to be more engaged in the fight against the Ebola virus and should stop relying on aid from Western governments.

Belated response

Even though this latest outbreak was identified as Ebola in March, international organizations - including the World Health Organization - were slow to respond. The UN set up its Mission for Ebola Emergency Response in September 2014 only after criticism from non-governmental organizations that not enough was being done to contain the disease.

Liberian communication consultant Nat Bayjay believes some of this criticism ought to be directed at the AU. "The AU as a continental body was very slow in terms of responding to the Ebola surge in the West Africa region," he said.

However, Bayjay acknowledged that with the formation of the African Union Support to Ebola in West Africa (ASEOWA) and the 30 volunteer staff to which Johnson-Sirleaf referred, the AU was seeking to address past shortcomings.

"They have upped their game," he said.