EU Director of Operations Pays Courtesy Call on President Koroma

 By State House Communications Unit

 President Ernest Bai Koroma on Wednesday 29th October received the European Union Director of Operations and Humanitarian Aid Jean-Louis De Brouwer at State House.

De Brouwer is in the country on a follow up visit of the European Union Response team and also serves as the front runner of the coordination of the European Union response to the Ebola outbreak.

 President Koroma informed the EU envoy that government has developed a national response plan to halt the spreading virus and expressed delight about the heightened international support to contain the outbreak. He expressed the need to scale up the response and quickly address the challenges at the treatment centers such as bed and laboratory capacities. 

“Personnel and logistical support are needed to give the Ebola fight a big push,” he stressed, and underscored the importance of an effective coordinating mechanism and transparency to know what is coming in and where it is being positioned to avoid duplication.

 In as much as government is committed to its ongoing efforts to contain and stabilize the outbreak, President Koroma stated that government is aware and also working on handling the post Ebola effects on the overall economy. “The focus now is for the government to stabilize the situation and a holistic approach is needed to give support to the entire economy,” he said.

 Mr. De Brouwer said that as part of EU response they had decided to urgently scale up their response and contribution to support government and other aid agencies in the fight against the disease.

 He furthered that his visit to the country was to know how the crisis is unfolding, as well as the EU’s contribution in terms of financial support in addressing the aftermath of the outbreak. He also informed the president that the EU is appointing a special coordinator for Ebola.