Africa-Press – Uganda. The outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has added a diplomatic and security dimension to an escalating health crisis, as its repercussions affect international summits, sporting events, and travel between countries on the continent and beyond.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced the postponement of the India-Africa Summit Forum, originally scheduled for next week in New Delhi, in a joint statement with the African Union. The ministry noted in its statement the “importance of ensuring full participation of African leaders and stakeholders, considering the emerging health situation on the continent.”
The postponement came just hours after the M23 movement confirmed the first Ebola case in the South Kivu province under its control. The spokesperson stated that the infected individual, a 28-year-old from Kisangani, “died before the diagnosis was confirmed.” The case was recorded in a rural area near Bukavu, the provincial capital that fell into the hands of M23 in February 2025.
The World Health Organization announced that this outbreak, the seventeenth of its kind in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is suspected to have caused 139 deaths with around 600 suspected cases, while declaring an international health emergency. Ongoing armed conflicts in the eastern part of the country have hindered containment efforts, and M23 has not previously faced an outbreak of this magnitude in its controlled areas.
Border Restrictions
For its part, neighboring Uganda announced the suspension of all public transport to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Government spokesperson Alan Kasuja confirmed that the country would halt flights to Congo, noting that no Ebola cases have been recorded on Ugandan soil so far. Ugandan authorities previously confirmed one death from Ebola since the outbreak began, originating from Congo, while a second suspected case returned a negative result.
The United States has mandated that its citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past three weeks must exclusively pass through Washington Dulles Airport for enhanced testing. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that a flight from Air France heading from Paris to Detroit was diverted to Montreal, Canada, after a passenger from Congo “mistakenly” boarded the plane, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The Leopards Bid Farewell to Kinshasa from Afar
In the sports arena, the Congolese national football team announced the cancellation of its three-day training camp in the capital Kinshasa, as well as the cancellation of a farewell ceremony that was scheduled before the start of the World Cup. Team spokesperson Jerry Kalimu told a local source that “the only phase that was canceled is the Kinshasa phase,” confirming that the preparatory matches against Denmark in Liège, Belgium (June 3) and against Chile in Spain (June 9) will proceed as planned. He clarified that most of the players and their coach, Sébastien Desabre, are currently outside Congo.
FIFA issued a statement confirming that it is “aware of the situation and is monitoring it closely,” indicating its communication with the Congolese federation to ensure the necessary medical and security guidance for the team.
