India and the African Union have postponed the ‘Fourth Africa-India Forum Summit’ which had been scheduled to take place in New Delhi from 28 to 31 May 2026, citing concerns over the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement on Thursday, May 21, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said both sides agreed it would be prudent to hold the Summit at a later date in light of the evolving public health situation on the African continent. India also pledged support for efforts led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to address the outbreak.
The decision follows a warning from the World Health Organization (WHO), which said on Wednesday that the risk posed by the Ebola outbreak is high within central Africa but remains low globally. The outbreak was officially declared in eastern DRC on 15 May 2026, with health officials believing the virus may have been circulating undetected for several months.
The latest outbreak, the 17th recorded in the DRC, is suspected to have caused 139 deaths from approximately 600 probable cases. Ebola has claimed more than 15,000 lives across Africa over the past 50 years. Meanwhile, Delhi’s international airport issued a health advisory on Thursday for passengers arriving from the DRC and neighbouring Uganda and South Sudan.
India said new dates for the summit would be announced in due course, while reaffirming the importance of continued cooperation with African countries to strengthen public health preparedness and response capabilities.