Today, I stand before you with a heavy heart but also with an unwavering resolve. We are meeting today because of the emergence and rapid spread of Mpox. This is not just another challenge; it is a crisis that demands our collective action, a moment that calls upon the very essence of our humanity, our unity, and our strength.

Our continent has seen many struggles. We have faced pandemics, various outbreaks, natural disasters, and conflicts. Yet, through every adversity, we have risen, not as fragmented nations, but as one Africa—resilient, resourceful, and resolute. Today, as we confront the threat of Mpox, we must summon that same spirit of solidarity.