The agency stated that while it recognises the sovereign responsibility of governments to protect public health and national security, it expressed concern over the use of broad travel restrictions and border controls as a primary outbreak response measure.
blic health measures during disease outbreaks should be guided by science, proportionality, transparency, international cooperation and international health regulations.
The organisation stated that generalised travel restrictions and border closures can create economic disruption, discourage transparency, complicate humanitarian and health operations, and increase the use of informal and unmonitored travel routes.
H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, said: “The fastest path to protecting all countries in the world is to aggressively support outbreak control at the source. Global health security cannot be achieved through borders alone. It is achieved through partnership, trust, science and rapid investment in preparedness and response capacity.”
Africa CDC noted that the United States remains a longstanding partner in disease surveillance, emergency response, workforce development and global health security across Africa.
The agency also referenced high-level discussions held in March 2025 with the US Department of State and multiple American agencies, during which Africa CDC advocated for a revised partnership model focused on sovereignty, sustainability, shared responsibility and increased domestic co-financing by African governments.
The statement also referred to agreements reached during the African High-Level Ministerial Committee on Global Health Architecture in Geneva on 17 May 2026, where ministers from 48 African countries agreed that future continental health security negotiations should increasingly be coordinated through Africa CDC.
According to the organisation, Africa CDC declared the current Ebola outbreak on 15 May 2026 after confirming that at least two countries were affected. The agency stated that it has maintained continuous information sharing with governments, partners, media organisations and international stakeholders since the beginning of the outbreak.
The organisation also highlighted what it described as a structural imbalance in global health innovation, noting that no licensed vaccines or therapeutics currently exist for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus despite the strain being identified nearly two decades ago.
Africa CDC stated that the declaration of the Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) on 18 May 2026 was intended to mobilise political leadership, resources and coordinated continental action rather than create public alarm.
The agency called for increased international support in areas including cross-border preparedness, regional coordination, laboratory diagnostics, genomic sequencing, epidemiology, logistics, infection prevention, case management, dignified burial capacity and the accelerated development of vaccines and therapeutics for all Ebola strains.
The organisation also confirmed that it remains fully mobilised to support the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and other at-risk member states.
Africa CDC further noted that its current position is consistent with actions taken during the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda in 2024, when the agency publicly opposed travel measures that it said penalised transparency and outbreak control efforts.
According to the statement, Africa CDC is urging countries globally to avoid imposing unnecessary travel or trade restrictions in response to the outbreak and instead prioritise international cooperation, investment and coordinated public health responses.
The organisation concluded by stating that stronger global partnerships and investment in African health systems remain essential for long-term international health security.
Tags: Dr Jean Kaseya Africa CDC
