Context: India and the African Union postponed the 4th India-Africa Forum Summit, scheduled from May 28–31 in New Delhi, due to the evolving Ebola public health emergency in parts of Africa; the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit was also postponed.
1. Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
- Severe viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Ebolavirus
- First identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Transmission: bodily fluids, infected animals and contaminated surfaces
- Symptoms: fever, vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding
- High fatality rate; outbreaks mainly reported in Central and West Africa
2. India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS)
- India’s premier institutional platform for engagement with African countries
- Launched in 2008
- Previous Summits:
- 2008 – New Delhi
- 2011 – Addis Ababa
- 2015 – New Delhi
- Focus Areas: trade, investment, health, energy, capacity building and strategic cooperation
3. African Union (AU)
- Continental organization of 55 African countries
- Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Established in 2002 as successor to Organisation of African Unity (OAU)
- Objective: political integration, peace, security and economic development in Africa
4. International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)
- India-led global initiative launched in 2023
- Objective: conservation of seven major big cats
- Covers tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma
- Promotes global cooperation in conservation, research and protection of big cat habitats
