African Development Bank Meeting Overshadowed by Spreading Ebola Outbreak

The African Development Bank (AfDB) convened its annual meeting in the Republic of Congo amid rising concern over an Ebola outbreak in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Reporting dated May 25, 2026, notes the epidemic has already been linked to more than 170 suspected deaths, a development that participants feared could affect attendance at the summit.

Delegates and African leaders gathering for the meeting are wrestling with falling overseas development aid and are discussing mechanisms to mobilize the continent's own resources. Among proposals under consideration is the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD), an initiative intended to broaden Africa-based financing for essential development projects in the face of shrinking external support.

All sourcing for this report is dated May 25, 2026.