NEW DELHI, India, May 22 — India and the African Union have agreed to postpone the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit that had been scheduled to take place in New Delhi from May 28 to 31, 2026, following consultations over an evolving Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa.
The decision was announced jointly after discussions between the Government of India, the Chairperson of the African Union and the African Union Commission, with officials saying it was prudent to defer the summit amid growing public-health concerns.
No new dates have been announced. 139 deaths linked to Ebola had been confirmed by Friday with many more cases reported as the deadly disease continue to spread including to Uganda.
Officials said the postponement was intended to ensure full participation by African leaders and delegations while allowing both sides to focus on ongoing public-health response efforts led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
India has also been engaging African health authorities and issuing health advisories as the situation develops.
The summit was expected to bring together African heads of state, ministers, diplomats and business leaders for discussions on trade, development cooperation, technology, healthcare, infrastructure and strategic partnerships between India and Africa.
Organisers said the planned plenaries, bilateral meetings and side events would now be rescheduled through further consultations between India and the African Union.
Both sides stressed that the postponement was a precautionary public-health measure and not linked to any diplomatic disagreements.
Diplomats said delaying the summit would allow India and African countries to better coordinate support for outbreak containment, vaccine access and treatment efforts while preserving the long-term objective of strengthening India-Africa economic and strategic ties.
India and the African Union said they remain committed to holding the summit once conditions improve and will continue high-level engagements in the meantime.