About: West Africa

Ebola outbreak revealed failings of Guineas health system, helped to addressed them

The Ebola epidemic, which left more than 11,000 dead over an expanse of West Africa between 2014 and 2016, has enabled experts to draw a series of conclusions in a bid to improve health services in Guinea at least, a Parliament delegation visiting the country found. EURACTIV's media partner efe-epa reports.

How EU powdered milk threatens African production

The secondary effect of the common agricultural policy (CAP) on African agriculture is a source of concern for MEPs. In recent years exports of powdered milk have soared, threatening the African dairy sector. EURACTIV.fr reports.

Index insurance trialled in sub-Saharan Africa as part of climate change fight

Since the end of the 2000s, there has been an increase in projects in sub-Saharan Africa to develop index insurance, based on weather indices such as rainfall or temperature. It is intended to help farmers cope with climate change, before droughts sets in. EURACTIV.fr reports

Water resources management: West Africa and Central Asia

A panel discussion at the Bled Strategic Forum highlighted the experience of West Africa in the common management of the water resources over a large area and progress in improving cooperation in an even larger Central Asia.

Spain’s handling of the Cayuco boat crisis

Almost a decade before the deaths of 360 people in a shipwreck in Lampedusa, Italy, shook the world's collective conscience about migration in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands - another southern European border - faced a similar challenge.

China continues to violate sustainable fishing practices in Africa

The new EU law on sustainable management of the EU external fishing fleet can contribute to forcing global parties to take more responsibility for sustainable fisheries, writes MEP Linnéa Engström, vice-chair of the European Parliament’s fisheries committee.

EU calls on Gabon to produce ‘speedy and transparent’ election result

EU election observers have called on Gabon’s electoral commission to ensure votes are counted “with transparency and speed” after this weekend’s presidential election, where incumbent Ali Bongo is hoping for a second term.

West Africa passes Ebola ‘milestone’

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone has subsided, leading the United Nations to call it a "milestone" for West Africa. EURACTIV’s partner El País – Planeta Futuro reports.

Dependence on food imports threatens developing countries, report finds

Extreme weather and restrictive export policies could create a food crisis that would threaten 200 million people worldwide, a study has shown. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Scientists prepare for potential Zika virus outbreak in Southern Europe

Researchers from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) are developing tools to monitor the Zika virus, as it is highly likely that it will reach Southern Europe, according to the group.

SDGs: Not an à la carte menu

How do we translate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into policy? We need a more coherent and integrated approach, argue Sarah Holzapfel and Heiner Janus.

Deforestation ‘may have started west Africa’s Ebola outbreak’

Deforestation may have triggered the recent Ebola outbreak in west Africa, France’s Minister for the Environment, Ségolène Royal, told a London summit hosted by the Prince of Wales ahead of next month’s COP21 conference.

After Ebola, global health experts say crisis is the new normal

SPECIAL REPORT / After nearly a decade of economic crisis, an Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and a refugee crisis, experts say that EU health systems must get used to the fact that "shockwaves" are here to stay.

Brussels pledges €1 million to help children affected by Ebola

The European Commission will make €1 million available to help provide education and psychosocial support for children affected and left orphaned by Ebola. EURACTIV Spain reports.

German ministers visit West Africa with ‘lessons from Ebola’

Gerd Müller and Hermann Gröhe travelled to Ghana and Liberia on Tuesday (7 April) to strengthen the healthcare system in Africa. But industry officials were not in their delegation. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU gives boost to Guinea-Bissau after years of instability

International donors pledged more than €1 billion for Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday to support a 10-year development plan aimed at giving the country a new start after prolonged political instability.

German government readies EU white helmet force to combat epidemics

SPECIAL REPORT: In the fight against global diseases, the European Union is expected to take a collective approach. Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is currently planning a highly-specialised task force to combat epidemics like Ebola. He has also set aside the Medevac plane “Robert Koch” for the mission.

Stylianides: Defeating Ebola requires stronger regional cooperation

In an interview with EURACTIV's Georgi Gotev, Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management, said that more regional cooperation is needed in West Africa in the fight against ebola.

OECD praises UK for its effort to fight global poverty

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has urged the UK to maintain its commitment to foreign aid, as it praised the country’s efforts in fighting global poverty despite the financial crisis.

Agriculture development chief: ‘The crisis after Ebola will be a food shortage crisis’

Food production structures in many West African countries face the threat of collapse – a consequence of the Ebola epidemic that is also likely to affect Europe, says Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in an interview with EURACTIV Germany.

Ebola and beyond

It is time for developed countries to recognise that the best way to protect their citizens from Ebola is to help stop the spread of the virus in West Africa, says Lawrence O. Gostin.

A woman should be appointed as EU Ebola envoy

EU leaders are expected to appoint a coordinator on Ebola during the Council summit on 23-24 October, and this special envoy should be a woman, writes Mirjam van Reisen.

Commission steps up efforts to fight Ebola, after slow response

Health Commissioner Tonio Borg on Monday (20 October) told MEPs that a network of high-security laboratories have been established to ensure that EU member states will have the necessary facilities to diagnose the infected persons infected with Ebola.

Médecins Sans Frontières chief: ‘The fight against Ebola is like a war’

The Ebola epidemic currently sweeping through West Africa continues its advance. In an interview with EURACTIV France, Brice De Le Vingne says that only a vaccine can halt the progress of the epidemic.