During a visit to Bunia, a city in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo that recently recorded a laboratory‑confirmed mpox case, France’s Foreign Minister Jean‑Noel Barrot declared that Paris will increase its financial and humanitarian support for Ebola eradication efforts in the eastern region. Barrot warned that the disease could resurge quickly if vigilance is relaxed.
France has already allocated €13.4 million (about $15.1 million) to the fight against Ebola between January and July. The minister said he would propose additional humanitarian funding for the epidemic during the upcoming French budget discussions.
French aid has been channeled through humanitarian assistance, medical research and the PRISM programme, which was launched during President Emmanuel Macron’s 2023 visit to the DRC. A national humanitarian conference in Paris on October 6 will include a session on Ebola.
"Ebola may seem far away to some people or political leaders, but it can return very quickly. Our responsibility is to prevent those resurgences," Barrot told reporters in Bunia. He praised Congolese authorities, UN agencies, humanitarian organisations and medical workers for containing the epidemic and preventing it from spreading to major urban centres in Congo and beyond.
When asked whether the recent mpox case could signal a broader outbreak, Barrot replied, "There is no need to fear or worry. First and foremost, we must fight the epidemic where it emerges."
