Ebola in West Africa

In 2014, an Ebola outbreak spread throughout West Africa.

In response, the United Nations hosted the International Ebola Recovery Conference in New York on July 10, 2015. The event convened donors and international organizations in order to garner pledges for the recovery plans of the three primarily affected countries, as well as the Mano River Union.

Learn more about Paul Farmer’s latest book: Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History

The Ebola Recovery Tracking Initiative began as a partnership between the governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Paul Farmer’s UN office and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (Paul Farmer’s UN office has since transitioned into SII.)

The objective of the initiative was to track official development assistance (ODA) toward Ebola recovery efforts in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Mano River Union with an emphasis on how much funding is aligned with the recovery plans presented at the 2015 United Nations International Ebola Recovery Conference.

Note: In January, 2020, SII continued the tracking work of the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Community Based Health and Aid Delivery. SII continues to work in partnership with UNDP and other UN entities.

Pledges, Commitments, and Disbursements from Contributions Announced at the July 2015 International Ebola Recovery Conference (USD Millions)

Guinea

Guinea suffered the highest fatality rate: approximately 66.7% of its 3,811 patients succumbed to the disease.

Overview: Ebola in Guinea

Liberia

As of March 2016, Liberia reported 10,675 cases of Ebola with a 45% fatality rate.

Overview: Ebola in Liberia

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone reported the highest incidences of Ebola with 14,122 cases and a 28% fatality rate.

Overview: Ebola in Sierra Leone

Mano River Union

As of March 30, 2017 the Mano River Union recorded 28,610 cumulative cases and 11,308 deaths.

Ebola in the Mano River Union

How it Works

The Ebola Recovery Tracking Initiative documents bilateral and multilateral pledges, commitments and disbursements toward the Ebola recovery effort, with a particular emphasis on how donor funding is aligned with national plans.

The information was gathered by staff from the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Community Based Health and Aid Delivery (Paul Farmer’s UN office) by contacting the relevant offices of donors and requesting a breakdown of pledges, commitments and disbursements. Over time, this tracking function will be transferred to the ministries charged with aid management in each of the three affected countries, adding capacity to existing national aid coordination mechanisms.

Definitions

  1. Requirements are the resources that were requested in the national and regional recovery plans presented at the United Nations International Ebola Recovery Conference in New York (July 2015.) These include $2,577.2 million (28.3% of total requirement) from The Republic of Guinea’s Post-Ebola Socio-Economic Recovery Strategy (2015-2017 ); $1,257.2 million (13.8% of total requirement) from The Republic of Liberia’s Economic Stabilization and Recovery Plan (2015-2017); $1,283.2 million (14% of total requirement) from The Republic of Sierra Leone’s National Recovery Strategy (2015-2017); and $4,000 million (43.9% of total requirement) from The Mano River Union Post-Ebola Socio-economic Recovery Programme.
  2. A pledge is a general promise to provide assistance and is usually made for a particular time frame, though not always.
  3. Committed (or obligated) funds are those for which projects have been approved or agreements/contracts have been signed or are in the process of being transferred or disbursed. Committed funds are exclusive of disbursed funds.
  4. Disbursement is the transfer of funds from a donor to implementing partners (which could be governments, non-governmental organizations, UN entities, or private contractors, among others).