The African Partner Outbreak Response Alliance (APORA) is an initiative of senior African medical leaders to collectively prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

Liberia hosted the sixth APORA key leader meeting from November 12-15, 2018. The meeting was held in partnership with the Liberian Ministry of Defense and the Liberian Ministry of Health, which have been working closely with the United States Air Forces Africa and the United States Africa Command. 21 African partner nations were in attendance.

Gen Essono Engueng from Gabon chaired the meeting. The opening ceremonies began with comments from the Liberian Minister of National Defense, Major General Daniel D. Ziankahn (Rtd), the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Major General Prince Charles Johnson III, the United States Ambassador to Liberia, the Honorable Christine Elder, and the U.S. Africa Command Deputy Command Surgeon, Colonel Krystal Murphy.

The objectives of the conference included identifying the most common and most urgent requirements of the member nations’, identifying opportunities to collaborate and cooperate to address these gaps, and increasing communication between military and civilian sectors, as well as among the partner nations. These efforts will help APORA strengthen global health security.