IMF-G20/EBOLA Ban Ki-Moon describes efforts to combat Ebola as being in "the last mile of a marathon"

Record ID: 159240

  • Title: IMF-G20/EBOLA Ban Ki-Moon describes efforts to combat Ebola as being in "the last mile of a marathon"
  • Date: 17th April 2015
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES (APRIL 17, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** WIDE OF IMF AND WORLD BANK MEMBERS AT SPRING MEETING CLOSE OF IMF DIRECTOR CHRISTINE LAGUARDE AND UNITED NATIONS ATTORNEY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON WIDE OF WORLD BANK CHIEF AND PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA BAN KI-MOON WALKING TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS ATTORNEY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON SAYING: "Looking forward I count on the international community to continue to demonstrate generosity and unity of purpose. In the meantime, there's an urgent unfinished task. Getting these cases to zero and staying there. I think we can make it. We are now at the toughest stage. Last one mile of our long marathon race is most difficult at last finishing line. Let us work together until we reach that finishing line with great success." BAN KI-MOON WALKS OFF STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIBERIA'S PRESIDENT ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF SAYING: "We go back home carrying the message from them, that first of all, their own effort to contain the virus is appreciate, that our own leadership in joining them in this effort was applauded, and that we can count on the international community to be with us, as we move, first of all, from containing the virus, by getting to zero, ensuring that we build resilient health systems, and that we can now start the process of economic recovery." CUTAWAY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS PROTESTERS OUTSIDE OF IMF HEADQUARTERS WITH SIGNS READING 'THE WORLD IS WATCHING THE SIERRA LEONE SUPREME COURT' 'PRESIDENT KOROMA: WHERE IS THE EBOLA MONEY?' 'CORRUPTION AND EMBEZZLEMENT OF EBOLA FUNDS
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA98RJ5EX2T9PUG8143UJTKIKP2
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Group of 20 finance and central bank ministers met on Friday (April 17) on the sidelines of the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, to discuss the Ebola epidemic which continues to engulf several African countries.
    U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon described the efforts to contain the virus as being in the "last mile of a marathon" and urged the ministers to work together.
    "There's an urgent unfinished task. Getting these cases to zero and staying there," said Ban Ki-Moon. "I think we can make it."
    Earlier, IMF Chief Christine Laguarde promised to continue to help the three countries hardest hit by the epidemic, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, develop macroeconomic policies and strengthen their financial institutions to support their recovery plans, adding that Germany and the U.K. have promised to provide an additional $72 million to the fight against Ebola.
    "We go back home carrying the message from them," said Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the G20 ministers, "That we can count on the international community to be with us."
    To date, the IMF has provided $390 million to combat the epidemic, including about $100 million in grants for IMF debt service relief from the recently established Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust.
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