Security Council resolution 2177 (2014) [on outbreak of the Ebola virus in, and its impact on, West Africa]
Symbol: S/RES/2177 (2014)
Date: 2014-09-18
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/69 [100] AFRICA--REGIONAL SECURITY
S/69 [228] EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE
Subjects: UN System|WHO|UN Humanitarian Air Service|EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE|DISEASE CONTROL|DISEASE PREVENTION|LIBERIA|SIERRA LEONE|GUINEA|WEST AFRICA|EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES|PUBLIC HEALTH|MEDICAL COOPERATION|TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS|INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS|RELIEF PERSONNEL
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ARGENTINA
vote: yes
country: AUSTRALIA
vote: yes
country: CHAD
vote: yes
country: CHILE
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JORDAN
vote: yes
country: LITHUANIA
vote: yes
country: LUXEMBOURG
vote: yes
country: NIGERIA
vote: yes
country: REPUBLIC OF KOREA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: RWANDA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                S/RES/2177 (2014)
               Security Council                                               Distr.: General
                                                                              18 September 2014




               Resolution 2177 (2014)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7268th meeting, on
               18 September 2014

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling its resolution 2176 (2014) adopted on 15 September 2014
               concerning the situation in Liberia and its press statement of 9 July 2014,
                    Recalling its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace
               and security,
                    Expressing grave concern about the outbreak of the Ebola virus in, and its
               impact on, West Africa, in particular Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, as well as
               Nigeria and beyond,
                    Recognizing that the peacebuilding and development gains of the most affected
               countries concerned could be reversed in light of the Ebola outbreak and
               underlining that the outbreak is undermining the stability of the most affected
               countries concerned and, unless contained, may lead to further instances of civil
               unrest, social tensions and a deterioration of the political and security climate,
                    Determining that the unprecedented extent of the Ebola outbreak in Africa
               constitutes a threat to international peace and security,
                   Expressing concern about the particular impact of the Ebola outbreak on
               women,
                     Welcoming the convening of the Mano River Union Extraordinary Summit,
               held in Guinea on 1 August 2014, and the commitments expressed by the Heads of
               State of Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to combat the Ebola
               outbreak in the region, including by strengthening treatment services and measures
               to isolate the outbreak across borders,
                    Taking note of the measures taken by the Member States of the region,
               especially Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, as well as Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and
               Senegal, in response to the Ebola outbreak and recognizing that the outbreak may
               exceed the capacity of the governments concerned to respond,
                   Taking note of the letter (S/2014/669) dated 29 August 2014 to the Secretary-General from the Presidents of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, requesting a
               comprehensive response to the Ebola outbreak, including a coordinated international


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               response to end the outbreak and to support the societies and economies affected by
               restrictions on trade and transportation during the outbreak,
                     Recognizing the measures taken by the Member States of the region, in
               particular Côte d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mali and Senegal, to facilitate the
               delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most affected co untries,
                    Emphasizing the key role of Member States, including through the Global
               Health Security Agenda where applicable, to provide adequate public health services
               to detect, prevent, respond to and mitigate outbreaks of major infectious diseases
               through sustainable, well-functioning and responsive public health mechanisms,
                     Recalling the International Health Regulations (2005), which are contributing
               to global public health security by providing a framework for the coordination of the
               management of events that may constitute a public health emergency of
               international concern, and aim to improve the capacity of all countries to detect,
               assess, notify and respond to public health threats and underscoring the importance
               of WHO Member States abiding by these commitments,
                     Underscoring that the control of outbreaks of major infectious diseases
               requires urgent action and greater national, regional and international collaboration
               and, in this regard, stressing the crucial and immediate need for a coordinated
               international response to the Ebola outbreak,
                     Commending Member States, bilateral partners and multilateral organizations
               for the crucial assistance, including financial commitments and in -kind donations,
               provided to and identified for the affected people and governments of the region to
               support the scaling up of emergency efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in West
               Africa and interrupt transmission of the virus, including by providing flexible funds
               to relevant United Nations agencies and international organizations involved in the
               response to enable them and national governments to purchase supplies and enhance
               emergency operations in the affected countries, as well as by collaborating with
               public and private sector partners to accelerate development of th erapies, vaccines
               and diagnostics to treat patients and limit or prevent further infection or
               transmission of the Ebola virus disease,
                     Expressing deep appreciation to the first-line responders to the Ebola outbreak
               in West Africa, including national and international health and humanitarian relief
               workers contributed by the Member States of diverse regions and non -governmental
               organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the International
               Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFR C) and also expressing
               appreciation to the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) for
               transporting humanitarian personnel and medical supplies and equipment, especially
               to remote locations in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, during the outbreak,
                     Welcoming the efforts of the African Union (AU), in coordination with
               bilateral partners and multilateral organizations, to craft a united, comprehensive
               and collective African response to the outbreak, including through the deployment
               of healthcare workers to the region, and also the efforts of the Economic
               Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support steps to contain the
               spread of the Ebola virus, including through the support of the defen ce forces of its
               Member States,




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                 Expressing concern about the impact, including on food security, of general
           travel and trade restrictions in the region and taking note of the AU call on its
           Member States to lift travel restrictions to enable the free movement of people and
           trade to the affected countries,
                 Emphasizing the role of all relevant United Nations System entities, in
           particular the United Nations General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and
           Peacebuilding Commission, in supporting the national, regional and international
           efforts to respond to the Ebola outbreak and recognizing, in this regard, the central
           role of the World Health Organization (WHO), which designated the Ebola outbreak
           a public health emergency of international concern,
                Stressing the need for coordinated efforts of all relevant United Nations
           System entities to address the Ebola outbreak in line with their respective mandates
           and to assist, wherever possible, national, regional and international efforts in this
           regard,
                Taking note of the WHO Ebola Response Roadmap of 28 August 2014 that
           aims to stop transmission of the Ebola virus disease worldwide, while managing the
           consequences of any further international spread and also taking note of the 12
           Mission Critical Actions, including infection control, community mobilization and
           recovery, to resolve the Ebola outbreak,
                 Taking note of the WHO protocols to prevent the transmission of the Ebola
           virus disease between individuals, organizations and populations, underlining that
           the Ebola outbreak can be contained, including through the implementation of
           established safety and health protocols and other preventive measures that have
           proven effective and commending the efforts of the United Nations Mission in
           Liberia (UNMIL) to communicate, including through UNMIL Radio, such protocols
           and preventive measures to the Liberian public,
                 Reiterating its appreciation for the appointments by the Secretary-General of
           David Nabarro as the United Nations System Senior Coordinator for Ebola Virus
           Disease and of Anthony Banbury as the Deputy Ebola Coordinator and Operation
           Crisis Manager operating from the Crisis Response Mechanism of the United
           Nations, activated on 5 September 2014 and which aims to consolidate the
           operational work of the United Nations System, Member States, non -governmental
           organizations and other partners focused on providing assistance to the affected
           countries in response to the Ebola outbreak, as well as to ensure United Nations
           System assistance to developing, leading and implementing an effective response to
           the broader dimensions of the outbreak that include food security and access to
           basic health services,
                Welcoming the intention of the Secretary-General to convene a high-level
           meeting on the margins of the sixty-ninth United Nations General Assembly to urge
           an exceptional and vigorous response to the Ebola outbreak,
                1.    Encourages the governments of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to
           accelerate the establishment of national mechanisms to provide for the rapid
           diagnosis and isolation of suspected cases of infection, treatme nt measures, effective
           medical services for responders, credible and transparent public education
           campaigns, and strengthened preventive and preparedness measures to detect,
           mitigate and respond to Ebola exposure, as well as to coordinate the rapid deliver y
           and utilization of international assistance, including health workers and


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               humanitarian relief supplies, as well as to coordinate their efforts to address the
               transnational dimension of the Ebola outbreak, including the management of their
               shared borders, and with the support of bilateral partners, multilateral organizations
               and the private sector;
                     2.   Encourages the governments of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to
               continue efforts to resolve and mitigate the wider political, security, socioeconomic
               and humanitarian dimensions of the Ebola outbreak, as well as to provide
               sustainable, well-functioning and responsive public health mechanisms, emphasizes
               that responses to the Ebola outbreak should address the specific needs of women
               and stresses the importance of their full and effective engagement in the
               development of such responses;
                     3.   Expresses concern about the detrimental effect of the isolation of the
               affected countries as a result of trade and travel restrictions imposed on and to the
               affected countries;
                     4.    Calls on Member States, including of the region, to lift general travel and
               border restrictions, imposed as a result of the Ebola outbreak, and that contribute to
               the further isolation of the affected countries and undermine their efforts to respo nd
               to the Ebola outbreak and also calls on airlines and shipping companies to maintain
               trade and transport links with the affected countries and the wider region;
                     5.    Calls on Member States, especially of the region, to facilitate the
               delivery of assistance, including qualified, specialized and trained personnel and
               supplies, in response to the Ebola outbreak to the affected countries and, in this
               regard, expresses deep appreciation to the government of Ghana for allowing the
               resumption of the air shuttle of UNMIL from Monrovia to Accra, which will
               transport international health workers and other responders to areas affected by the
               Ebola outbreak in Liberia;
                     6.   Calls on Member States, especially of the region, and all relevant actors
               providing assistance in response to the Ebola outbreak, to enhance efforts to
               communicate to the public, as well as to implement, the established safety and
               health protocols and preventive measures to mitigate against misinformation and
               undue alarm about the transmission and extent of the outbreak among and between
               individuals and communities and, in this regard, requests the Secretary-General to
               develop a strategic communication platform using existing United Nations System
               resources and facilities in the affected countries, as necessary and available,
               including to assist governments and other relevant partners;
                     7.    Calls on Member States to provide urgent resources and assistance,
               including deployable medical capabilities such as field hospitals with qualified and
               sufficient expertise, staff and supplies, laboratory services, logistical, transport and
               construction support capabilities, airlift and other aviation support and aeromedical
               services and dedicated clinical services in Ebola Treatment Units and isolation units,
               to support the affected countries in intensifying preventive and response activities
               and strengthening national capacities in response to the Ebola outbreak and to allot
               adequate capacity to prevent future outbreaks;
                     8.   Urges Member States, as well as bilateral partners and multilateral
               organizations, including the AU, ECOWAS, and European Union, to mobilize and
               provide immediately technical expertise and additional medical capacity, including
               for rapid diagnosis and training of health workers at the national an d international


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           level, to the affected countries, and those providing assistance to the affected
           countries, and to continue to exchange expertise, lessons learned and best practices,
           as well as to maximize synergies to respond effectively and immediately t o the
           Ebola outbreak, to provide essential resources, supplies and coordinated assistance
           to the affected countries and implementing partners and calls on all relevant actors
           to cooperate closely with the Secretary-General on response assistance efforts;
                9.    Urges    Member     States    to    implement      relevant    Temporary
           Recommendations issued under the International Health Regulations (2005)
           regarding the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa, and lead the organization,
           coordination and implementation of national preparedness and response activities,
           including, where and when relevant, in collaboration with international development
           and humanitarian partners;
                 10. Commends the continued contribution and commitment of international
           health and humanitarian relief workers to respond urgently to the Ebola outbreak
           and calls on all relevant actors to put in place the necessary repatriation and
           financial arrangements, including medical evacuation capacities and treatment and
           transport provisions, to facilitate their immediate and unhindered deployment to the
           affected countries;
                11. Requests the Secretary-General to help to ensure that all relevant United
           Nations System entities, including the WHO and UNHAS, in accordance with their
           respective mandates, accelerate their response to the Ebola outbreak, including by
           supporting the development and implementation of preparedness and operational
           plans and liaison and collaboration with governments of the region and those
           providing assistance;
                 12. Encourages the WHO to continue to strengthen its technical leadership
           and operational support to governments and partners, monitor Ebola transmission,
           assist in identifying existing response needs and partners to meet those needs to
           facilitate the availability of essential data and hasten t he development and
           implementation of therapies and vaccines according to best clinical and ethical
           practices and also encourages Member States to provide all necessary support in
           this regard, including the sharing of data in accordance with applicable law;
                13.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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