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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Bunia in northeastern DR Congo, where local officials and humanitarian workers are responding to an Ebola outbreak. He warned that the virus could return quickly if vigilance declines and said France would propose additional humanitarian funding during its upcoming budget discussions. Barrot praised Congolese authorities, UN agencies, and medical teams for containing the epidemic and preventing its spread to major cities.
Members of the Civil Protection, a local community-based team that works to help mitigate the spread of the Ebola virus and ensure burials happen safely and quickly, wearing personal protective equipment in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo on July 10, 2026.
, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Saturday during a visit to a region hit by the virus, warning that it could quickly resurge if vigilance waned. Barrot made rare trip by a western leader to the northeastern DRC city of Bunia, where a laboratory-confirmed case of mpox was identified in mid-September. Barrot said he would propose additional humanitarian funding for Ebola during upcoming French budget discussions.
France’s response came through humanitarian aid, medical research and the PRISM programme launched during President Emmanuel Macron’s 2023 visit. A national humanitarian conference is to be held in Paris on October 6, during which Ebola is to be discussed.
“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. Barrot praised Congolese authorities, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organisations and medical workers for containing the epidemic and preventing it from spreading to major urban centres in DRC and beyond.
“There is no need to fear or worry. First and foremost, we must fight the epidemic where it emerges,” Barrot said when asked whether it could spread after a case was reported in France. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies.
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Ebola Outbreak DR Congo Bunia Humanitarian Aid Public Health
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