[As Prepared]

Thank you.

On behalf of the government of the United States, I would like to thank United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for bringing us all together today to discuss our continued efforts to tackle this dreaded disease.

Of course, we face a difficult road ahead.  The new cases of Ebola discovered in Liberia just last week are a sobering reminder of the need for continued vigilance.  Our response infrastructure is working, but we are not done yet.

Still, when we look back at the past year, it is clear we have made substantial progress…

New cases in the West African region are at about 20 per week, down from over 100 just four months ago.

Without a doubt, the reason we have seen such results is because we stood as a united front in combating the disease.

So, the story of the response to the Ebola outbreak is the story of what we can accomplish when we work together.

It is the story of the steadfast leadership displayed by leaders all over the globe, especially in West Africa.

It is the story of the unwavering courage of health care workers on the front lines.

And most of all, it is a story of the resilience of the human spirit, and the love of humanity around the globe.

Nowhere is that clearer than in the people of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, who have remained committed to fighting Ebola in the face of the disease’s devastation.

I want to thank all of our partners and donors here today – and responders from all over the world – for the important role you have played in this progress.

And i want to especially thank President Johnson Sirleaf, President Conde, and President Koroma for their steadfast leadership and courageous response.

I also want to thank you all, for what you will continue to do in the future.

For our part, the American people have demonstrated resolute commitment to tackle the scourge of Ebola.

We have provided more than $2 billion to the response effort, and deployed thousands of brave  responders to assist in managing the crisis. 

Going forward, we remain committed to supporting our partners in each country as they transition from crisis to recovery.

As you know, the effects of Ebola rippled far beyond the disease itself. Young people stopped going to school, and trade declined as countries closed their borders.

Additionally, the outbreak stretched the limits of entire institutions – from health ministries to infrastructure – that must now be rebuilt.

As we continue on the road to “zero cases”, the United States is here to support the people of West Africa as they begin the long process of rebuilding and restoring their livelihoods and personal development.

But while we do this work, we need to seize the opportunity in front of us to build better, more resilient systems that can prevent future epidemics from spreading.

We cannot return to business as usual.

That means we must commit to strengthening health systems as we rebuild them.

We need to enhance transparency and accountability at all levels to sustain the progress we have made.

And, we need to ensure that the local heroes who have shown remarkable courage in standing up to this disease – such as health workers and teachers – are recognized for their actions and compensated for their work.

The countries of West Africa have already demonstrated commendable leadership on all fronts, pulling together the necessary support and resources from the very start of the outbreak. 

Your effort – and our global partnership – offers a powerful model of what can be done when we emphasize local leadership, spur innovation, and embrace public-private partnerships.

This is a model that works. And next week, i plan to make that case in Addis Ababa, where leaders from all over the world will gather to determine how to achieve the next generation of global development goals.

We look forward to working with you to meet those goals, and we stand in solidarity with you as you work to build stronger and more accountable systems.

In demonstration of our commitment, i am pleased to announce the United States government will be pledging an additional $266 million to support Ebola recovery efforts in West Africa.

We look forward to continuing our partnership as we rebuild and prepare for future outbreaks of Ebola and other infectious diseases.

Thank you all again for your dedication and your leadership, and for your partnership going forward.