• Obama orders virus-testing for African presidents
• 50 leaders meet Obama over insecurity, investments
As more than 50 African Heads of States are set to arrive the United States today, the US President, Barack Obama, has urged them to be prepared to undergo screening for the deadly Ebola virus, currently ravaging West Africa.
President Goodluck Jonathan and about 49 of his colleagues are billed to meet Obama over the spate of insecurity ravaging the continent.
The meeting, which was at the invitation of Obama, is to discuss issues of common interests in a three-day summit with the African leaders, but has suddenly been overshadowed by health concerns.
Obama, in a precautionary measure, yesterday, alerted the African leaders that they are not immune from the virus, as such, they should get ready for Ebola virus screening.
Speaking at a news conference in Washington, DC, Obama said the visitors from Africa, who might have contracted the virus, would receive health screenings at the summit, while assuring that US health workers dispatched to West Africa to tackle the Ebola outbreak were responding positively.
“We will conduct a thorough screening for our visitors coming from African countries. Anyone who eventually contracts the virus will be treated accordingly.
“The United States is leading the response to the current Ebola eruption in West Africa alongside the World Health Organisation. The CDC and our various health agencies are going to be working very intently with the World Health Organisation and some of our partner countries to make sure we can surge some resources down there.”
On the logistics already put in place to ensure that the African summit is successfully conducted, Obama said, “closures will be coordinated by the District Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Police Department. The closures will be staggered in implementation based on the locations of the Summit Events. Vehicular traffic will be limited to law enforcement, official participants, employees, and in certain locations, guests.”
Jonathan, who is billed to join Obama and other participating African leaders in security discussions, is expected to lead the group in chats that border on trade and investment ties, promoting inclusive sustainable development and expanding cooperation on peace and security.
According to the President’s spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, the Summit, which is the first of its kind between an American President and African Heads of States and Governments, is expected to greatly strengthen ties between the United States, Nigeria and other African countries.
In addition to three special sessions on “Investing in Africa’s Future,” “Peace and Regional Stability” and “Governing the Next Generation,” the summit will also feature side-events such as the United States-Africa Business Forum which has the objectives of boosting efforts to strengthen trade and financial ties between the United States and Africa, creating partnerships that will accelerate job creation, and encouraging even more American investments in Nigeria and other African countries.
Jonathan is also scheduled to hold meetings in Washington with key United States political, security and business leaders on the sidelines of the summit to discuss the further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in other areas, including the war against terrorism.
The President will be accompanied to the summit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali; the Co-ordinating Minster of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga; the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). He will return home at the conclusion of the summit on Wednesday.
Source: Daily Newswatch
