In This Issue:

- Leading the News

- United States – Africa Relations

- North Africa

- East Africa

- West Africa

- Sub - Saharan Africa

- General Africa News

- Excerpt from Leading the News:

West Africa Ebola Outbreak:

On February 20th, the United Nations (U.N.) World Health Organization (WHO) announced the approval of a rapid diagnostic test kit for use in the Ebola response in West Africa. The new diagnostic test can provide results in 15 minutes and correctly identified 92 percent of patients infected with Ebola during testing. Meanwhile, at U.N. headquarters, WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Bruce Aylward and U.N. Special Envoy on Ebola Dr. David Nabarro briefed U.N. Member States on the need to maintain a robust international response to get the number of Ebola cases in West Africa to zero.

On February 20th, the White House announced that President Barack Obama will host Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for a meeting at the White House on February 27th. President Sirleaf’s visit comes at a time of critical cooperation between the U.S. and Liberia, especially following President Obama’s recent announcement that the U.S. is moving to the next phase of its Ebola response, which will be characterized by an intensive effort to reach zero Ebola cases in West Africa. The two leaders are expected to discuss a range of topics, including the ongoing Ebola response, the region’s economic recovery plans, and other meetings of mutual interest.