Nigeria & U.S Agree on Partnership to Curtail Ebola Outbreak

Abuja (NAN) ─ President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Joe Biden have agreed that Nigeria and the United States will work together to urgently curtail the outbreak of Ebola virus. 

Jonathan and Biden met in Washington D.C on Tuesday on the side-line of the on- going US-Africa African leader’s summit, according to a ‘readout’ issued by the White House, Office of the Vice President.

Ebola virus has claimed two lives in Nigeria since a 40-year old Liberian and American citizen Patrick Sawyer died of the disease in Lagos.

The identity of the second victim of the deadly virus has been withheld by government but it is believed to be a medical worker who had contact with Sawyer at the hospital in Lagos.

According to the World Health Organisation, over 800 persons have died from the Ebola virus in the West African countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Meanwhile, the White House statement said Biden reiterated U.S. partnership in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.

He was reported to have stressed the need to pursue holistic approaches that respect and protect human rights

“The Vice President also underscored the importance of supporting Nigeria’s effort to improve the socioeconomic and security conditions in northern Nigeria,’’ the statement by the White House said.

Further, Biden was quoted to have welcomed Nigeria’s work to improve its business climate, which continues to attract U.S. investors. 

Both leaders were reported to have expressed their commitments to trade and investment, and the critical role that access to electricity plays in supporting that goal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Barack Obama, on June 30, launched Power Africa, an innovative private sector-led initiative aimed at doubling electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa.

It is believed that no fewer than 600 million people currently lacked access to electricity in the region.

Obama used the occasion of the summit to announce a renewed commitment to this initiative and pledged a new level of $300 million in assistance per year to expand the reach of Power Africa.

He also announced $6 billion in new private sector commitments, bringing the total private sector commitments under Power Africa to date to more than $20 billion

The U.S government has set an ambitious aggregate goal of 30,000 MW of additional capacity to Africa and increasing electricity access by at least 60 million households and business connections.