UN Secretary-General announced to establish UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 20 September 2014 announced to establish the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) in New York. He declared Ebola outbreak in West Africa a threat to peace and security.

The announcement came following the unanimous adoption of a key resolution by the 193-Member UN Security Council on measures to contain and combat the virus (document A/69/L.2).

Ban Ki-moon instructed the advance teams to head to Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in West Africa by 22 September 2014 for carrying out first-of-its-kind operations. UN System Senior Coordinator for Ebola Dr. David Nabarro will provide strategic guidance to the Mission.

United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER)
The Mission's initial level is a major step in this expanding effort to tackle the greatest peacetime challenge that the United Nations and its agencies have ever faced. The hub of the Mission will be located in Accra, Ghana.

The Mission will provide the operational framework and unity of purpose to ensure the rapid, effective and coherent action necessary to treat the infected, ensure essential services, preserve stability and prevent its spread to countries which are currently unaffected.

The Mission will rely on the support of the entire UN system in particular the critical technical expertise of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Moreover, the mission will immediately begin to pull together the assets from the relevant agencies and will work closely with the Governments in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.