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In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs indicated that the decision was taken in view of the “evolving health situation in parts of Africa.” The ministry confirmed that consultations were held between the Government of India, the Chairperson of the African Union, and the African Union Commission regarding the emerging public health crisis on the continent.
“Following these consultations, the two sides agreed that it would be advisable to convene the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit at a later date,” the Ministry stated.
The postponement has also affected several parallel engagements linked to the summit, including programmes organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Officials indicated that these events have also been placed on hold, despite some African delegates already arriving in New Delhi for the scheduled meetings.
The Ministry of External Affairs said revised dates for the summit and associated meetings would be finalised through mutual consultations and communicated later. While officials described the postponement as a precautionary and necessary step taken in the interest of all stakeholders, the development is being viewed as a significant setback for India-Africa diplomatic engagement.
The African Union had earlier appealed for “collective international solidarity and cooperation” to combat the Ebola outbreak affecting multiple countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The appeal gained urgency after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.”
Responding to queries earlier this week, Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, spokesperson for the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit would have provided an important platform to strengthen cooperation on future pandemics and emergency response mechanisms.
“While the Ebola outbreak is affecting a number of African countries, it is important to underscore that pandemics and public health emergencies respect no borders and require collective international solidarity and cooperation,” Mr. Sheekh said in an email response issued on Monday, May 18, 2026.
India also expressed solidarity with the governments and people of Africa and reiterated its commitment to supporting efforts to contain the crisis through an “Africa-led” approach.
The World Health Organization has stated that the risk of Ebola transmission remains high at the local level, though the threat globally remains low. Meanwhile, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf expressed deep concern over the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak and asserted that Africa would overcome the challenge through “unity, coordination and collective” action.
The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit was expected to take place after a gap of nearly eleven years. The previous summit was held in 2015, while earlier editions took place in 2011 and 2008. Indian officials had earlier attributed the prolonged delay between summits to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021.
Over the years, the India-Africa Forum Summits have emerged as one of the largest structured diplomatic platforms connecting India with African nations through political dialogue, cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and strategic engagement. The postponement of the summit underlines the far-reaching global impact of the Ebola crisis and highlights the continuing vulnerability of international diplomacy to public health emergencies.
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