Welcoming End of Ebola Flare-Up in Liberia, Secretary-General Calls upon Global Community to Continue Supporting Affected Countries

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the World Health Organization on 14 January marking the end of Ebola transmission in Liberia.  For the first time since this devastating outbreak began, all known chains of transmission of Ebola in West Africa have been stopped and no new cases have been reported since the end of November.

The Secretary-General commends the national authorities of the affected countries for their leadership and determination, and the local communities whose ownership and engagement have been instrumental in tackling this outbreak.  He acknowledges the vital role played by the health workers and burial teams in the Ebola response.  The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to the many regional and international partners who have supported the response.

The Secretary-General notes that the three affected countries will need to maintain intensive surveillance in order to detect and respond to any new flare-ups of Ebola.  The Secretary-General calls upon the international community to continue supporting the affected countries in order that they have the capacity to rapidly respond to any future flare-ups and to provide comprehensive support to all survivors.

The United Nations will stand firm with Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the entire region, as they move ahead along the path towards social and economic recovery.