International conference on Ebola kicks off in Equatorial Guinea

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and Obiang Ngeuma Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea inaugurated an international conference on Africa's fight against Ebola on Tuesday.

Delegations from 54 African countries are attending the conference, the first to probe the disease.

Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab is leading Egypt's delegation to the event held under the auspices of the African Union.

The conference aims to outline an African preemptive plan against Ebola.

Participants will also review means by which to help inflected countries and treat cases.

President Mbasogo said his country is pleased to host the conference.

The AU has decided to focus on fighting the Ebola that is threatening the African continent and the whole world, he said in an inaugural speech.

He urged African countries to exert utmost efforts to combat the Ebola.

Hopefully, this conference would come out with a common strategy to fight the disease, Mbasogo said.

Zimbabwe's President Mugabe, who is also chairman of the AU, thanked Equatorial Guinea for hosting the conference.

He said measures should be taken and expertise shared to limit the spread of the disease, which he called a "common enemy".

Egypt will review a vision meant to offer guides to protection against the disease, with focus on quarantine measures to protect African crossings, ports and airports.

The Egyptian guide has been issued in Arabic, English and French to be submitted during the conference.

Prime Minister Mahlab is scheduled to deliver Egypt's speech at the conference.