NewsGate Press Network

The emerging Ebola outbreak situation in Africa has forced India to postponed the forthcoming big ticket summit meeting with African Union member countries.

The Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit was scheduled to take place in New Delhi from 28–31 May 2026.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement issued in the afternoon on Thursday announced the postponement of the summit meeting due to ‘emerging public health situation on the continent’.

Several parts of Africa have reported cases of the deadly Ebola virus, the latest from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province.

The current Ebola outbreak has led to deaths of 139. Over 600 suspected cases were reported primarily in Congo and neighboring Uganda.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the epidemic a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to the alarming scale and speed of its transmission.

The current Ebola outbreak is driven by a rare Bundibugyo strain

MEA stated that the forthcoming diplomatic gathering was deferred following detailed deliberations convened between Indian administrative authorities, the Chairperson of the African Union, and the African Union Commission to evaluate the feasibility of hosting the high-profile assembly and its ancillary events under current conditions.

And after examining all aspects, it was decided, as the MEA says, to postpone the Fourth IAFS Meeting.