India-Africa Forum Summit was scheduled to take place in New Delhi from May 28-31, 2026. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
India and the African Union have decided to postpone the India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled to be held next week in New Delhi, due to the “evolving health situation in parts of Africa”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday (May 21, 2026).
The summit was initially scheduled to take place in New Delhi from May 28-31, 2026.
“Recognising the importance of ensuring the full participation and engagement of African leaders and stakeholders, and mindful of the emerging public health situation on the continent, consultations were held between the Government of India, the Chairperson of the African Union, and the African Union Commission regarding the holding of the Summit and associated activities,” the MEA said in its statement.
The Ministry said that the two sides agreed on convening the summit at a “later date” following consultations. ”New dates for the Summit and its associated meetings will be finalised through mutual consultations and communicated in due course,” it said.
Earlier this week, Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, spokesperson of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, had said the summit would provide an opportunity to work on “future pandemics” and a response mechanism.
“While the Ebola outbreak is affecting a number of African countries, it is important to underscore that pandemics and public health emergencies respect no borders and require collective international solidarity and cooperation,” Mr. Sheekh said on Monday (May 18, 2026) in an email response to The Hindu.
The statement had come a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Published – May 21, 2026 03:41 pm IST
