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Oxfam: Europe's response to Ebola crisis

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Bekki-Frost-PA-21064827-031014-1200pxAt today’s (23 October) summit in Brussels, EU heads of state will discuss Europe’s response to the Ebola crisis. From the UN Financial Tracking Service, Oxfam has collated the financial commitments and pledges that EU governments have made so far toward the UN’s estimated $1 billion target.

Europe’s pledges of more than €462 million – over half of the UN target – represent a great start. This is a chink of good news amid the worsening daily crisis of Ebola. However, only €84m of this has been reported as committed funding. The onus is on Europe to make good on its promises. Money spent now will save lives.

The UK is leading the European response having pledged €158m, plus 750 troops for Sierra Leone. France has pledged €70m, including a treatment centre in Guinea.  But there is still a big gap between what both countries have pledged and what they have committed. The Netherlands has committed the most in “real” cash so far, €30m.

Germany is now performing well but this has come very late: on 18 October it pledged a huge increase up to €100m. Italy too has recently pledged €50m. Austria has only spent €200k and Spain only €500k, although Spain recently pledged a further €4m. Eleven European countries have committed no money at all.

Today, Oxfam expects to hear strong new pledges from EU heads of state and guarantees to turn those pledges into cash without delay. Oxfam is also calling on European countries to deploy more medics, equipment and military personnel immediately.

European Union to boost Ebola research with €24.4 million

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